Alopecurus geniculatus

Botanical Latin Translations

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(updated 18 July 2026)

Alopecurus geniculatus L.

Taxonomic history:
1753: Linnaeus described this species as Alopecurus geniculatus in Species Plantarum, 1st ed., p. 60.
today: The current name for this species is Alopecurus geniculatus L.

original Latin diagnosis
Alopecurus culmo spicato infracto.

English translation
Alopecurus with a culm bearing a spike [and] bent sharply.

English translation with commentary

Alopecurus Alopecurus

with a culm culmo - ablative singular of second declension masculine noun culmus, -i

bearing a spike spicato - ablative singular masculine of group A adjective spicatus, -a, -um; modifies culmo

[and] [added for smoother reading]

bent sharply. infracto - ablative singular masculine of perfect passive participle of third conjugation verb infringo, infringere, infregi, ifractum; modifies culmo

For a list of botanical Latin translations, please click here. To access the Species Plantarum concordance, please click here.

Alopecurus	Alopecurus
with a culm	culmo - ablative singular of second declension masculine noun culmus, -i
bearing a spike	spicato - ablative singular masculine of group A adjective spicatus, -a, -um; modifies culmo
[and]	[added for smoother reading]
bent sharply.	infracto - ablative singular masculine of perfect passive participle of third conjugation verb infringo, infringere, infregi, ifractum; modifies culmo