New Zealand plants are special. Many are unique to our island country and found nowhere else in the world. The descriptive clues in botanical names are rewarding if you translate or understand the terms themselves. The names of our plants reflect their discoverers, place of origin and our history.
For the international glossary of plant descriptions visit the Wikipedia Glossary of botanical terms
A
Aciphylla the Spaniard for the sharp, needle leaves
Agathis the kauri, from agathis 'ball of thread' for the distinctive cones
Arthropodium the rengarenga lily, from 'arthro' a joint and 'podion' stalk (has jointed pedicels)
Astelia stem-less australis southern, as in Cordyline australis
B
banksii named for Sir Joseph Banks, botanist on Captain Cook's voyages
bidwillii named for John Bidwill, early New Zealand alpine plant enthusiast
buchananii named for John Buchanan, early New Zealand botanist
C
Celmisia mountain daisies, after Celmisios in Greek mythology
chathamicus/chathamica of the Chatham Islands
Clianthus kaka beak, from 'kleos' glory and 'anthos' flower for the distinctive flowers
colensoi named for William Colenso, early botanist
Coprosma smelling of manure
Cordyline the cabbage tree, meaning a club as the large and fleshy roots resemble
Corokia from the Maori name 'Korokio' cunnihamii named for Allan Cunningham, early botanist
D
Dicksonia the tree fern, for James Dickson a Scottish nurseryman and naturalist
dieffenbachii for Dr Ernst Dieffenbach, naturalist
Dracophyllum the grass trees, from 'draco' dragon and 'phyllum' leaf
G
Griselinia the broadleaf, for Franseco Griselini, naturalist
H
haastii for Julius von Haast, explorer
Hebe for the Greek Goddess of youth 'Hebe'
Hoheria for the Moari name 'Houhere'
hookeri for Sir William or Sir Joseph Hooker, directors of Royal Botanic Gardens Kew
K
kirkii for Thomas Kirk, early botanist
L
Leptospermum the manuka, 'leptos' or slender and ' sperma' or seed for the narrow seeds
lessonii/lessoniana for Pierre Lesson, surgeon and botanist
lyallii for David Lyall, surgeon
M
Metrosideros the rata and pohutukawa for their very hard wood; 'metra' heartwood and 'sideros' iron hard
monroi for Sir David Monro, plant collector
Muehlenbeckia after Muehlenbeck, a French physician and botanist
Myosotidium the Chatham Island Forget-me-not, for Myosotis the European forgetme-not
N
Nothofagus native beech, from 'nothos' false and 'fagus' the beech novae-zelandiae meaning 'of New Zealand'
O
Olearia because it resembles an olive tree (Olea)
P
Pachystegia the Marlborough Rock Daisy, from 'pakys' or thick for the thick leaves
Phormium New Zealand flax, from 'phormoin' or a mat, a reference to the traditional Maori weaving of flax and flax fibres
Pittosporum for the sticky seeds, as 'pitta' means pitch or tar and 'sporum' seeds
Plagianthus 'plagios' oblique and 'anthhos' flower for the asymmetrical flowers
Podocarpus the totara, from 'podos' foot and 'karpos' fruit for the stalked fruit
Pseudopanax lancewoods and the five-finger, from 'pseudo' false and 'panax' a related genus
R
richardii for Achille Richard, French botanist
S
sinclairii Andrew Sinclair an early plant collector
solandri Daniel Solander botanist on the Cook voyages
Sophora the kowhai, from 'sophera' the Arabic name for a tree with pea shaped flowers
T
traversii William Travers early plant collector, lawyer and politician
tomentose: densely wooly or soft-matted hairiness
tomentulose: like tomentose but less so
torulose: twisted or knobby
W
williamsii for William Williams, Bishop of Waiapu in the nineteenth century
X
Xeronema Poor Knights Lily, from 'xeros' dry
