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You Say “To-MAY-Toe” and I Say “To-MA-Toe”
Posted by Ruth Clelland on 07/28/08Almost 250 years ago Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus published a book named Species Plantarum ("The Species of Plants") and binomial nomenclature was born. This systematic approach to naming plants is still the universally recognized system used today. While many gardeners struggle with “Latin names” of plants, knowing a plant’s botanical name allows you to converse with gardeners all over the world.
This reference book lists plant names with their history and/or origin. Pronunciation is given. Here are some examples:
Campanula
Meaning: Little bell; bell shaped.
Preferred pronunciation: kam – PAN – yoo – luh
Alternate pronunciation: kam – pan – YOO - luh
Clematis
From an Ancient Greek word for vine or climbing.
Preferred pronunciation: KLEM – uh – tiss
Alternate pronunciation: klem – AT – iss
Botanist W.T. Stearn reminds us that Botanical Latin is a written language. How the words are pronounced really does not matter as long as they sound pleasant and are understood by all concerned.
--Ruth
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