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Botanical Pronunciation Guide
    (updated 2/22/2008
A note before you begin 

A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z
(I'm working on it!)

A

  • Abelia—a warm climate flowering shrub. ah-BEE-lee-ah

  • Abeliophyllum—deciduous Korean shrub. ah-bell-ee-oh-FIE-lum

  • Abelmoschus—Okra; Lady's Finger. ay-bell-MOSS-kus

  • Abies—coniferous, evergreen firs. AY-beez

  • Abronia—Sand Verbena; the wild Lantana. ah-BRO-nee-ah

  • Abutilon—a flowering ("Parlor") maple. ah-BOO-ti-lun

  • Acacia—flowering tree. ah-KAY-sha

  • Acalypha—Three-Seeded Mercury; the Chenille plant. ak-uh-LEE-fah

  • Acanthophoenix—Barbel Palm. ah-can-tho-FEE-nix

  • Acanthus—"Bear's Breech" ah-CAN-thus

  • acaulescent—seeming to have no stems. ak-call-ES-cent

  • acaulis—without stems. ah-CALL-iss

  • Acaena—herbaceous perennial with a spiny achene. ay-KEE-nah

  • acephalus—having no head. a- SEFF-a-lus

  • Acer—any of about 200 ssp. of maples. AY-ser

  • Aceranthus—Epimedium; Maplewort. a-sir-AN-thus

  • acerbic—sour or astringent in taste. a-SER-bik

  • acerbus—sour, harsh or acidic. a-SER-bus

  • acerifolia—having leaves like maples. a-sir-ih-FOE-lee-ah

  • acerosus—shaped like needles. a-sir-OH-sus

  • achene—small, dry, one-seeded fruit. AY-keen

  • Acidanthera—Peacock Orchid. a-ci-DAN-theh-ruh

  • Achillea—yarrow. also sneezewort. ak-cah-LEE-ah

  • Achimenes—Monkey-Faced Pansy; Cupid's Bower. ah-KI-men-eez

  • Aconitum—Aconite. Monk's Hood. ak-oh-NY-tum

  • Acokanthera—Bushman's Poison. ak-oh-CAN-theh-ruh

  • Acorus—an iris-like or grass-like marsh-plant. ah-KOR-us

  • acrocarpous—having fruit at the end of primary axis (mosses). ak-roe-CAR-pus

  • Actæa—red or white baneberry. ak-TEE-ah

  • Actinidia—a vine having a cup-like flower, and berries. ak-ti-NIH-dee-ah

  • aculeata—having prickles. ak-you-lee-AH-tah

  • acuminata—having or coming to a point. ak-you-min-AH-tah

  • adenophorus—having or bearing glands. ad-en-OFF-er-us

  • Adiantum—the Maidenhair Fern. ad-ee-AN-tum

  • admirabilis—having admirable qualities. ad-meer-AB-i-lis

  • adnatus—connected or joined to. AD-na-tus

  • Adonis—Pheasant's-Eye. ah-DON-is

  • aduncus—hooked or having hooks. ah-DUN-cus

  • Aegopodium (Ægopodium)—Ashweed; Ground Elder; Goutweed; Bishop's Weed. ee-go-PO-dee-um

  • Aesculus—Horse Chestnut; Buckeye. ESS-kyu-luss

  • affinis—being related to another. ah-FIN-is

  • Africana—African or from Africa. aff-ri-CAN-ah

  • Agapanthus—Lily of The Nile; African Lily. ag-uh-PAN-thus

  • Agastache—Giant Hyssop; Anise Hyssop. ag-uh-STASH-ee

  • agaric—like a mushroom. ah-GARE-ik

  • Agaricus—one of many common mushrooms. ah-GARE-ih-cus

  • Agathaea (Agathæa)—Felicia Daisy. ag-uh-THEE-uh

  • Agauria—tropical tree. ah-GOW-ree-ah

  • Agave—Century Plant. uh-GAH-vee

  • Ageratum—Flossflower; Pussyfoot. a(like the "a" sound in axe)-ger-AY-tum

  • Aglaonema—Chinese or Spotted Evergreen; Painted Drop Tongue. ag-la-oh-NEE-mah

  • agrarius—of or pertaining to fields. ah-GRAR-ee-ous

  • agronomy—soil management and field crop production. ah-GRON-oh-mee

  • Agrostemma—a flower: Corn Cockle. ag-row-STEM-ah

  • Agroseris—Mountain Dandelion. ag-row-SARE-is

  • Agrostis—Bent Grass; Red Grass; Cloud Grass. ah-GROS-tis

  • Ailanthus—Varnish Tree; Tree of Heaven. ay-LAN-thus

  • Ajuga—Bugleweed; aggressive but attractive ground cover. ah-JOO-gah

  • Akebia—a vine; native to Asia. ah-KEE-bee-ah

  • alata—having "winged" parts. ah-LAH-tuh

  • alba—white. AL-bah

  • albescens—white or turning white. al-BESS-sens

  • albicans—not white...but white-ish. AL-bih-cans

  • albida—white. AL-bid-ah

  • albiflorus—having white flowers. al-bih-FLOR-us

  • Albizia (archaic: Albizzia)—Mimosa; Silk Tree. al-BIZZ-ee-ah

  • Albuca—bulbous herbs native to No. Africa. al-BYU-cah

  • Alchemilla—Lady's Mantle. al-keh-MILL-ah

  • alcicornis—having horns like an elk. al-sih-COR-nis

  • Aletris—Star Grass. AL-ee-tris

  • Aleurites—the varnish tree. Also Tung Oil Tree. al-you-RYE-tees

  • alexandrae—originated in Egypt (Alexandria). al-ex-AN-dray-ee

  • alga—Algae; aquatic plant. AL-gah

  • Alisma—Water Plantain. a-LISS-mah

  • Allamanda—Golden Trumpet; a woody tropical vine al-a-MAN-duh

  • allegheniensis—commonly seen growing in the Allegheny Mountains. al-eh-gay-nee-EN-sis

  • Allium—any number of onions, chives, or garlic. AL-ee-um

  • alnifolia—having leaves like an alder tree or shrub. al-ni-FO-lee-ah

  • Alnus—an Alder tree or shrub. AL-nuss

  • Alocasia—Elephant's Ear; Chinese Taro; Giant Caladium. al-oh-KAY-zee-uh

  • Aloe—a succulent from Africa. Medicinal herb. AL-oh-ee 

  • Alonsoa—tropical American Mask Flower. ah-LON-so-ah

  • alpestris—not quite alpine. al-PESS-tris

  • Alpinia—Ginger Lily. al-PIE-nee-ah

  • alpinus—growing above the tree line; rock garden plants. al-PIE-nuss

  • Alsophila—any of about 200 ssp. of tree ferns. al-so-FY-lah

  • Alstroemaria—Lily-of-the-Incas; Peruvian Lily. al-stro-MARE-ee-uh

  • Alternanthera—Amaranth; Joseph's Coat; Copperleaf. all-ter-NAN-thur-uh

  • alternifolia—having alternate leaves. all-ter-ni-FOL-ee-uh

  • Althaea—Marsh Mallow; White Mallow. al-THEE-uh

  • altissima—unusually tall; tallest. al-TISS-i-muh

  • Alyssoides—Bladderpod. al-iss-SOY-deez

  • Alyssum—Madwort. ah-LISS-um

  • amabilis—lovely. a-MAB-il-iss

  • Amaranthus—Amaranth; Joseph's Coat; Copperleaf. am-a-RAN-thus

  • Amaryllis (archaic: Hippaestrum)—bulbed So. African lily. am-ah-RILL-iss

  • Ambrosia—Ragweed; Nectar of the gods. am-BRO-zee-ah

  • Amelanchier—Serviceberry; Shadbush; Juneberry. am-eh-LAN-kee-er

  • americana—originating in the Americas. ah-mare-i-CAN-ah

  • amethystinus—the color of amethyst or violet. am-meh-THISS-ti-nus

  • Ammi—Bishop's Weed (L.H.Bailey-III). AM-mee

  • Ammobium—the common Winged Everlasting. ah-MO-bee-um

  • Ammophila—Beach Grass; Sand Reed; able to bind sand. am-mo-FY-la

  • amoenus—to please or charm ah-ME-nus

  • amomum—Round Cardamom; having acrid seeds. ah-MOE-mum

  • Amorpha—About 20 ssp. of False Indigo. ah-MORE-fuh

  • Amorphophallus—Snake Palm; Devil's Tongue. ah-more-foe-FAL-us

  • Ampelopsis—a deciduous woody vine; Pepper Vine. am-pell-OP-siss

  • amplexicaulis—having the ability to clasp. am-plex-i-CAW-lis

  • Amsonia—Bluestar. am-SO-nee-ah

  • amurensis—originating in Eastern Siberia. am-ure-EN-sis

  • Amygdalus—Prunus dulcis; Flowering Almond. ah-MIG-duh-lus

  • Anacardium—Maranon; cashew. an-ah-CAR-dee-um

  • Anacyclus—Anthemis. an-uh-CY-klus

  • Anagallis—Shepherd's Clock; Pimpernel. an-ah-GAL-lis

  • Ananas—common pinapple. a-NAN-as

  • Anaphalis—Everlasting; Life Everlasting; Pearly E. an-AFF-a-liss

  • Anastatica—Resurrection Plant; Rose-of-Jerico. an-uh-STAT-ih-cuh

  • anceps—double-headed. AN-cepps

  • Anchusa—Alkanet; Bugloss. ang-KU-sah

  • Ancistrocatcus—Fishhook Cactus. an-SISS-trow-kak-tus

  • andersoni—after a person's proper name. an-der-SON-eye

  • andraeanum—after a person's proper name and-ray-AN-um

  • Andromeda—Bog Rosemary. an-DROM-eh-duh

  • Andropogon—Bluestem; Beard Grass. an-dro-POH-gone

  • Androsace—Rock Jasmine. an-DROSS-ah-see

  • Androsaemum—Hypericum. an-dro-SEE-mum

  • Androstephium—No. & So. American amaryllis. an-dro-STEFF-ee-um

  • Anemone—Windflower; Lily of the Field. ah-NEM-oh-nee

  • Anemonella—Eastern No. American wildflower; Rue Anemone. ah-mem-oh-NEL-ah

  • Anemonopsis—False Anemone. ah-nem-oh-NOP-sis

  • Anethum—an old-world herb. AN-eh-thum

  • Angelica—med. herb in the carrot family. an-GEL-eh-kah

  • Angelonia—tropical American flowering greenhouse plants. an-geh-LOW-nee-uh

  • Angiopteris—Turnip Fern. an-gee-OP-ter-is

  • angiosperm—plants that produce flowers and reproduce by seeds. AN-gee-oh-sperm

  • angiospermous—seeds that are produced within a pericarp. an-gee-oh-SPER-mus

  • Angophora—Gum Myrtle. an-go-FOR-uh

  • Angraecum—250 ssp. of epiphytic orchids. an-GREY-kum

  • Angulatus—Having an angled shape or form. an-goo-LAA-tus

  • Anguloa—Cradle orchid. an-goo-LOW-uh

  • Angustifolius—having narrow leaves. an-gus-ti-FOL-ee-us

  • Annona—Cherimoya; tropical tree or shrub. an-NO-na

  • Annuus—an annual plant. ANN-you-us

  • A....

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