'I strongly commend this book to botanical historians.' Society for the History of Natural History

Latin is one of two acceptable languages for describing new plants, and taxonomists must be able to translate earlier texts in Latin. Providing a simple explanation of Latin grammar along with an in-depth vocabulary, this is an indispensable guide for systematic botanists worldwide. All relevant parts of speech are discussed, with accompanying examples as well as worked exercises for translating diagnoses and descriptions to and from Latin. Guidelines for forming specific epithets are also included. The authors cross-reference their grammar to Stearn's Botanical Latin and to articles in the International Code of Nomenclature for Algae, Fungi and Plants. The comprehensive vocabulary is enhanced with terms from recent glossaries for non-flowering plants – lichens, mosses, algae, fungi and ferns – making this an ideal resource for anyone looking to hone their understanding of Latin grammar and to translate botanical texts from the past 300 years.

Dedication
Preface
Acknowledgements
Introduction
Part I. Grammar: 1. The noun
2. The adjective and the participle
3. The adverb
4. The preposition
5. The conjunction
6. The pronoun
7. The verb
8. Numerals, measurements
9. Prefixes and suffixes
10. Miscellany
Part II. Exercises in Translation: 11. Exercises
12. Answers to the exercises
Part III. Translating: 13. Translating into Latin
14. Translating from Latin into English
Part IV. Vocabulary: References
Further reading
Index.

Subject Areas: Botany & plant sciences [PST], Taxonomy & systematics [PSAB], Linguistics [CF], Language: reference & general [CB]