Taxonomic history:
1753: Linnaeus described this species as Urtica canadensis in Species Plantarum, 1st ed., p. 985.
today: The current name for this species is Laportea canadensis (L.) Wedd.
original Latin description
Urtica foliis alternis cordato-ovatis, amentis ramosis distichis erectis.
English translation
Urtica with leaves alternate [and] cordate-ovate; [and] with aments branched, distichous, [and] erect.
| Urtica | Urtica |
| with leaves | foliis - ablative plural of second declension neuter noun folium, -i |
| alternate | alternis - ablative plural neuter of group A adjective alternus, -a, -um; modifies foliis |
| [and] | [added for smoother reading] |
| [with leaf blades] cordate-ovate; | cordato-ovatis = cordato- (combining form of group A adjective cordatus, -a, -um) + ovatis (ablative plural neuter); modifies foliis |
| [and] | [added for smoother reading] |
| with aments | amentis - ablative plural of second declension neuter noun amentum, -i |
| branched, | ramosis - ablative plural neuter of group A adjective ramosus, -a, -um; modifies amentis |
| distichous, | distichis - ablative plural neuter of group A adjective distichus, -a, -um; modifies amentis |
| [and] | [added for smoother reading] |
| erect. | erectis - ablative plural neuter of perfect passive participle of third conjugation verb erigo, erigere, erexi, erectum; modifies amentis |