Taxonomic history:
1753: Linnaeus described this species as Scleranthus annuus in Species Plantarum, 1st ed., p. 406 of Ray Society 1957 facsimile.
Today: The current name for this species is Scleranthus annuus L.
original Latin diagnosis
Scleranthus calycibus fructus patulis.
English translation
Scleranthus with calyces of a fruit spreading.
| Scleranthus | Scleranthus |
| with calyces | calycibus - ablative plural of second declension masculie noun calyx, calycis |
| of a fruit | fructus - genitive singular of fourth declension masculine noun fructus, fructus |
| spreading. | patulis - ablative plural masculine of group A adjective patulus, -a, -um; modifies calycibus |