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Funny Flower Names
Funny Flower Names. Taxonomy is the study of naming and ordering biological diversity. The Greek philosopher Aristotle (384-322 BC) classified living things on the basis of their physical similarities. This concept is still the foundation of modern systematics. Although scientific plant names are considered firstly as cumbersome to remember and...
Taxonomy is the study of naming and ordering biological diversity. The Greek philosopher Aristotle (384-322 BC) classified living things on the basis of their physical similarities. This concept is still the foundation of modern systematics. Although scientific plant names are considered firstly as cumbersome to remember and difficult to pronounce, they contain a breadth of information regarding plant form, function, discovery and phylogeny.
Triodanis perfoliata (L.) Nieuwl. (clasping Venus' looking-glass)
A reference to mythology, the common name clasping Venus' looking-glass refers to Venus' broken mirror, the shards of which each produced a stunning flower. The Triodanis is an elegant pink flower with five petals arranged in groups at the end of a stem. The leaves are clasping; they wrap around the stem, rather than growing from a leaf stem (petiole).
Oplopanax horridus (devilsclub)
The Oplopanax horridus (devilsclub) shrub in the Ginseng family packs a double-negative punch in its name. The red, bulky inflorescence resembles a club, in this case, that belonging to the devil himself. The multitude of thorns that cover every inch of this plant also indicate the source for etymological denigration. If the common name were not enough, the species name "horridus" sums it up.
Mammillaria (cactus)
The Mammillaria cactus is aptly named for its visual similarity to a mammary gland. The Latin root word "mamma" means "mother" and "breast." To take the botanical joke even further, the pancake nipple cactus (Mammillaria heyderi Engelmann) has round, compact floral displays resembling the human female nipple. A surprising amount of botanical references implicate sexual organs.
