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Botany > Scientific Names of Trees > Flashcards

Scientific Names of Trees Flashcards

1
Q

What is the scientific name and its origin of the African Wattle?

A

Peltophorum africanum: Peltophorum – shield shaped – referring to the stigma

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2
Q

What is the scientific name and its origin of the Apple Leaf?

A

Philenoptera violacea: Philenoptera – manageable wing (on the pod). violacea – violet colour of flowers.

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3
Q

What is the scientific name and its origin of the Black Monkey Orange?

A

Strychnos madagascariensis: Strychnos – deadly – many species contain poisonous alkaloids

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4
Q

What is the scientific name and its origin of the Black Monkey Thorn?

A

Senegalia (Acacia) burkei:

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5
Q

What is the scientific name and its origin of the Brown Ivory?

A

Berchemia discolor: Berchem; scientist. discolor is Latin for ‘bi-coloured’; referring to the leaves; which are dark green on the upper surface with a paler undersurface.

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6
Q

What is the scientific name and its origin of the Buffalo Thorn?

A

Ziziphus mucronata: Ziziphus – from the Arabic name for a member of this genus. mucronata – pointed

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7
Q

What is the scientific name and its origin of the Bushveld Gardenia?

A

Gardenia volkensii subsp. volkensii: Named for Garden and Volkens; both scientists.

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8
Q

What is the scientific name and its origin of the Common Spikethorn?

A

Gymnosporia buxifolia: Gymnosporia naked seeds – referring to the seeds that remain attached to the fruit after it has opened. buxifolia – variable leaves

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9
Q

What is the scientific name and its origin of the Green Thorn / Torchwood?

A

Balanites maughamii: Balanites from Greek for acorn-shaped – referring to the fruit. Maugham; scientist.

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10
Q

What is the scientific name and its origin of the Jackalberry?

A

Diospyros mespiliformes: (Dios – divine; pyros – pear – referring to the flavour of some fruits

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11
Q

What is the scientific name and its origin of the Jacket Plum?

A

Pappea capensis: Pappea named after Carl W L Pappe. capensis – of the Cape

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12
Q

What is the scientific name and its origin of the Knob Thorn?

A

Senegalia (Acacia) nigrescens: Nigrescens – becoming black. This may refer to the mature pods that blacken with age.

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13
Q

What is the scientific name and its origin of the Leadwood?

A

Combretum imberbe: Combretum – climbing plant. imberbe – beardless / lack of hairs. This may refer to the relatively few hairs on the leaves.

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14
Q

What is the scientific name and its origin of the Long-tailed Cassia?

A

Cassia abbreviata subsp. Beareana: Cassia – from the old Hebrew name. abbreviata – means shortened but its significance is unclear. Common name “Long-tail” refers to the long; tail-like pods.

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15
Q

What is the scientific name and its origin of the Magic Guarri?

A

Euclea divinorum: The genus name Euclea is from the Greek word ‘eukleia’; meaning ‘of good report’ or ‘famous’; referring to the fine ebony-like wood of some species. The specific name divinorum is in reference to the plant’s use by medicine diviners or sangomas in parts of Africa.

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16
Q

What is the scientific name and its origin of the Marula?

A

Sclerocarya birrea subsp. caffra: The genus name Sclerocarya means ‘hard nut’ and the species name birrea is derived from the word birr; the common name used in Senegal

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17
Q

What is the scientific name and its origin of the Matumi?

A

Breonadia salicina: Breonadia was probably named after Jean Nicolas Breon (1815-1894) who collected plants in Mauritius. salicina – willow (Salix sp.) like: possibly referring to the leaves.

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18
Q

What is the scientific name and its origin of the Natal Mahogany?

A

Trichilia emetica subsp. emetica: from the Greek word tricho meaning in three parts referring to the fruits which often have three valves. The specific name is derived from the word emetic — a medicine that induces nausea and vomiting.

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19
Q

What is the scientific name and its origin of the Red Bushwillow?

A

Combretum apiculatum subsp. Apiculatum: Combretum is a Latin name referring to a climbing plant while the term apiculatum refers to the sharp tip of the leaf. Many of the Combretum species are climbers although this species is not.

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20
Q

What is the scientific name and its origin of the Red Spike-thorn / Confette Spike-thorn?

A

Gymnosporia senegalensis: gymno; which means ‘naked’ and sporia; which means ‘seed’; therefore ‘naked seed’; in reference to the seeds that remain attached and exposed after the fruit has opened. The name buxifolia means; ‘with leaves like those of Buxus sempervirens’; the common box.

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21
Q

What is the scientific name and its origin of the River Thorn?

A

Vachellia (Acacia) robusta subsp. Clavigera: The specific name robusta refers to the robust nature of the species.

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22
Q

What is the scientific name and its origin of the Round-leaved Bloodwood (teak)?

A

Pterocarpus rotundifolius: Pterocarpus – winged fruit. rotundifolius – round leaflets that may be present

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23
Q

What is the scientific name of the Rubber-hedge Euphorbia?

A

Euphorbia tirucalli

24
Q

What is the scientific name and its origin of the Russet Bushwillow?

A

Combretum hereroense: Combretum – climbing plants. hereroense – named after the Herero people of Namibia.

25
Q

What is the scientific name and its origin of the Sausage Tree?

A

Kigelia africana: Kigelia is based on an African name and africana means from Africa

26
Q

What is the scientific name and its origin of the Scented Pod-thorn?

A

Vachellia (Acacia) nilotica subsp. Kraussiana: Nilotica refers to it occurring along the Nile River

27
Q

What is the scientific name and its origin of the Shepards Tree?

A

Boscia albitrunca: Boscia; scientist. Albitrunca – refers to the trunk which may be white.

28
Q

What is the scientific name and its origin of the Silver Cluster-leaf?

A

Terminalia sericea: Terminalia – end: referring to the fact that leaves are gathered at the ends of shoots. sericea – clothed in silky hair – referring to the silky coloured leaves which are especially visible in sunlight.

29
Q

What is the scientific name and its origin of the Sour Plum?

A

Ximenia caffra: Ximenia is named after a Spanish monk; Francisco Ximenez; who wrote about the plants of Mexico in the 17th century. caffra refers to Kaffraria; an old name for a part of the Eastern Cape.

30
Q

What is the scientific name and its origin of the Sycamore Fig?

A

Ficus sycomorus: The genus name Ficus is the classical Latin name for the cultivated fig and sycomorus because it is the sycamore tree of the Bible.

31
Q

What is the scientific name and its origin of the Tamboti?

A

Spirostachys africana: The generic name; Spirostachys refers to the spiral arrangement of the flowers on the spike; and africana means from Africa.

32
Q

What is the scientific name and its origin of the Tree Wisteria?

A

Bolusanthus speciosus: Bolusanthus honours Harry Bolus. speciosus means beautiful or showy in Latin.

33
Q

What is the scientific name and its origin of the Weeping Boer-bean?

A

Schotia brachypetala: Van der Schot was originally from Delft; Holland; and was head gardener at the Schonbrunn Imperial Garden in Vienna; Austria. brachypetala means ‘having short petals’ in Greek and refers to the flowers which are unique among Schotia species in that the petals are partly or completely reduced to linear filaments

34
Q

What is the scientific name of the White Berry-bush?

A

Flueggea virosa

35
Q

What is the scientific name and its origin of the Wild Dagga?

A

Leonotis leonurus: Leonotis is derived from the Greek words leon meaning lion and -otis meaning ear. This refers to the pubescent upper lip of each flower that resembles a lion’s ear; hence the vernacular name. The specific epithet leonurus means lion-coloured; a reference to the flower colour of some forms.

36
Q

What is the scientific name and its origin of the Wild Date Palm?

A

Phoenix reclinata: Phoenix is the Greek name for the date palm and reclinata is Latin for bending down; and refers to the arching fronds

37
Q

What is the scientific name and its origin of the Bushfeld Saffron?

A

Elaeodendron transvaalense: The generic name Elaeodendron is derived from the Mauritius olive tree (Bois d’Olive); due to the resemblance of the fruit to the true olive; as noted by the first scientist that collected the tree. The species name transvaalensis means of the Transvaal.

38
Q

What is the scientific name and its origin of the Dwarf Boer-bean?

A

Schotia capitata: The genus Schotia was named in honour of Richard Van Der Schot (1733–1790); a chief gardener of the Imperial Garden of Schonbrunn in Vienna; Austria. capitata means ‘the appearance in the form of a head; capitate’ and refers to the dense rounded heads of red flowers.

39
Q

What is the scientific name and its origin of the False Marula?

A

Lannea schweinfurthii:

40
Q

What is the scientific name and its origin of the Flaky bark Thorn?

A

Vachellia (Acacia) exuvialis: Lannea is a Latin word which refers to the woolly hairy surface of the young leaves of the tree; schweinfurthii was named after Dr G. Schweinfurth; a naturalist and explorer;

41
Q

What is the scientific name and its origin of the Giant Raisin?

A

Grewia hexamita: The genus Grewia was named after Nehemiah Grew (1641-1712); an English physician. The specific name hexamita refers to six threads; but the meaning is obscure.

42
Q

What is the scientific name and its origin of the Nyala Tree?

A

Xanthocercis zambesiaca: The genus name Xanthocercis is derived from the Greek xanthos; meaning ‘yellow’; and cercis; refers to the genus Cercis. The species name zambesiaca means ‘of the Zambezi region’; where this species originates.

43
Q

What is the scientific name of the Porcupine Bush?

A

Pyrostria hystrix

44
Q

What is the scientific name of the Nyala Tree?

A

Xanthocercis zambesiaca

45
Q

What is the scientific name and its origin of the Lowveld Milkberry?

A

Manilkara mochisia: mochisia: greek; to spill; to pour; possibly referring to the milky latex.

46
Q

What is the scientific name and its origin of the Hairy Guarri?

A

Euclea natalensis subsp. natalensis: Euclea – Greek: good fame: referring to the high quality of the wood in some species. natalensis – from Natal – now KwaZulu-Natal.

47
Q

What is the scientific name and its origin of the Hairy Rock Fig?

A

Ficus glumosa: Ficus is the Latin name for the cultivated fig; and glumosa means ‘glume-like’; referring to the presence of basal bracts on the fruits (a glume is a small; dry membraneous bract typically found in the inflorescences of grasses and sedges).

48
Q

What is the scientific name and its origin of the Impala Lily?

A

Adenium multiflorum: Adenium is derived from Oddaeyn; or “from Aden”; where A. obesum was first collected. Multiflorum: The Latin specific epithet refers to the multitude of flowers produced by this plant.

49
Q

What is the scientific name and its origin of the Monkey’s Tail?

A

Xerophyta retinervis: The genus name is derived from the Greek xeros; meaning ‘dry’; and phytos; meaning ‘plant’; referring to the ability of the genus to withstand desiccation. The Latin word retinervis means ‘with a network of veins’.

50
Q

What is the scientific name and its origin of the Large-fruited Bushwillow?

A

Combretum zeyheri: Combretum is the name given by Pliny for a climbing plant; the identity of which has been lost in time; zeyheri refers to Carl L.P Zeyher (1799–1858); a German naturalist who first collected this species on the Magaliesburg range.

51
Q

What is the scientific name and its origin of the Large-leaved Sickle Bush?

A

Dichrostachys cinerea subsp. Nyassana: Greek; dis; meaning two; chroos; meaning colour; and stachys; meaning spike. The species name cinerea means grey-haired; referring to the hairs on the typical species in India.

52
Q

What is the scientific name and its origin of the Sandpaper Raisin?

A

Grewia flavescens: The genus Grewia was named after Nehemiah Grew (1641-1712); an English physician. The specific name flavescens refers to the yellowish flower colour.

53
Q

What is the scientific name and its origin of the White-leaved Raisin?

A

Grewia bicolor: The genus Grewia was named after Nehemiah Grew (1641-1712); an English physician. The specific name bicolor refers to bicoloured leaves.

54
Q

What is the scientific name and its origin of the Scrambled-egg bush?

A

Rhigozum zambesiacum: Zambesiacum - from the Zambezi River; where first collected

55
Q

What is the scientific name and its origin of the Wild Cotton?

A

Gossypium herbaceum subsp. africanum: often only noticed when in fruit or when bearings its hibiscus-like flowers.

56
Q

What is the scientific name and its origin of the Bush-cherry?

A

Maerua cafra: Cafra is an unusual spelling of caffra; a name given in the past to many plants from the eastern areas of southern Africa. It is derived from the Hebrew kafri for “person living on the land”.

Botany (4 decks)

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