The word is derived from Greek mythology.
Arachne, the perfect needlewoman, was so pestered by goddess
Minerva that she hanged herself. Minerva took pity and changed
the cord into a web and Arachne into a spider, and spiders still
have this name to-day.
Consider the following:
Campanula hispanica
Campanula hispanica alba
Campanula Raineri
First, the generic name "campanula" comes from campana (little
bell). There are 1,500 different species of this plant. Hispana
indicates one that comes from Spain; the second variety suggests
a plant of the same type but with a white (alba) flower instead of
the purple of the first. The third variety (an Italian species) is
named after its discoverer Rainer.
IMPORTANCE OF CORRECT NAME
It is, of course, important that a plant should be identified by
its complete name. There might be a hundred species yet only
one that is small enough for the minigarden. Do not trust to
common names as some are used to describe different plants in
other places. Once you adopt the Latin name as you get to know
the plants, it will increase your enjoyment and understanding.
For the most part they are pronounced as spelt but, if you are a
little shy, you can always write (or preferably print) the name on
a piece of paper when you visit your nurseryman. It will en-
courage you to hear his pronunciation.
SOME COMMON SPECIFIC NAMES
Some of the more common specific names you will meet are
given below to aid your interest in identification. There are
frequent variations in spelling, particularly with colours, according to the "sex" attributed to the particular plant, thus "gold"
is aureus when masculine; aurea when feminine; and aureum when neuter. Only one form is given below.
SIZE
• maximus pygmaeus largest dwarf
• minor smaller
• minimus smallest
COLOUR
• alba white
• caeruleus cerulean blue
• nigra black
• rosea rosy red
• aurea gold
• azureus Azure blue
• carnea deep pink
• lilacina lilac
• palens palest
• purpurescens purple
• rubra red
• sulphurea yellow
DESCRIPTIVE
'often used as prefixes or suffixes'
• aizoides encrusted
• folius leaved
• arachna cobwebby
• farinose powdery
• arenarius sand-loving
• florus flowered
• calcarea lime-loving
• formis formed
• depressa low-lying
• collina hill growing
• nana, nitens dwarf
• nitida shining
• tenella slender
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GEOGRAPHICAL
'not necessarily country of origin'
• africanus Africa
• balearicus Balearic
• hispanica Spain
• alpinus Alpine
• Corsica Corsica
• japonica Japan
• americanus American
• galicus France
• pamassica Greece
• anglicus England
• germanicus Germany
• pyrenaica Pyrenees
• australis Australia
• chinensis China
• scotia Scotland
• azorica Azores
• helvetica Switzerland
• siberica Siberia
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