Specific epithet definitions

rubrum

red

sylvatica

of the forest

spinosa

spiny

tomentosa

densely wooly

virginiana

of Virginia

triacanthos

3-branched

cuneata

wedge-shaped (referring to the leaflet bases)

quinquefolia

five-leaved (but a misnomer because it has five leaflets)

rigida

stiff

taeda

torch wood (referring to the practice of lighting knots for illumination)

serotina

late (referring to the time of flowering)

alba

white

falcata

sickle-shaped (referring to the curve in some leaves)

stellata

starred (referring to the hair on the leaf undersides)

radicans

rooting

ponderosa

heavy

floridanum

of Florida

florida

flowering (referring to the large white bracts)

canadensis

of Canada

virginicus

of Virginia

grandifolia

large-leaved

tulipifera

bearing tulips

styraciflua

storax-flowing

rubra

red

arboreum

tree-like

caroliniana

of Carolina

velutina

velvety

psuedoacacia

false acacia

prunifolium

leaves like Prunus

edulis

edible (referring to the seeds)

arborea

tree-like

glabra

smooth

ovalis

oval or elliptical (referring to nuts)

americana

of America

decidua

deciduous

tripetala

3-petaled

echinata

spiny

coccinea

scarlet (referring to the fall color)

grandifolius

large-leaved

tinctoria

containing dye

acerifolium

maple-leaved

heterophylla

variously-leaved

saccharinum

sweet or sugary

glandulosa

having glands

laevigata

smooth

pennsylvanica

of Pennsylvania

lucidum

shining

sinense

of China

occidentalis

western (referring to the Western World)

deltoides

shape of the Greek letter delta

acutissima

deeply cut

bicolor

2-colored

laurifolia

leaves like laurel

nigra

black

tremuloides

similar to Populus tremula, European aspen

triloba

3-lobed

cordiformis

heart-shaped

ovata

egg-shaped

americanus

of America

benzoin

Arabic word meaning aromatic gum.

lyrata

lyre-shaped

michauxii

named for F.A. Michaux, author of North American Sylva

pagoda

like a pagoda

shumardii

named for B. F. Shumard, Texas state geologist

rafinesqueanum

named for C. S. Rafinesque (1783-1840), a French botanist.

serrulata

finely saw-toothed

floridus

flowering

thyoides

similar to Thuja

kentukea

of Kentucky

racemiflora

raceme-flowered

verticillata

whorled (referring to the flower/fruit clusters)

japonica

of Japan

amomum

horn (referring to the very hard wood)

fraseri

referring to Scottish botanist, John Fraser.

rubens

reddish

flava

yellow

illinoinensis

of Illinois

mollissima

softly pubescent

speciosa

showy (referring to large white flowers)

vomitoria

causing vomiting

pomifera

bearing fruits

palustris

of the swamp

strobus

cone

albidum

nearly white

ascendens

ascending

distichum

two-ranked (referring to branchlets)

dentata

dentate (referring to leaves)

lambertiana

named for Aylmer Lambert, author of a classic book on pines.

monticola

of the mountains

capreolata

having tendrils

sempervirens

evergreen

opaca

opaque

latifolia

broad-leaved

roundifolia

round-leaved

marilandica

of Maryland

montana

of the mountains

alata

winged

cinerea

ash-colored

menzieseii

named for Archibald Menzies, a naturalist

glauca

bluish gray