All families

  • Click Family name to view all Genera in that family.
Family: 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
LAMIACEAE (G, La)
Mint Family (Wf)
lamia, = a fabulous monster said to feed on man’s flesh, a vampire, a bugbear to children.
lamia, = a witch who was said to suck children’s blood, a sorceress, enchantress.
(LS, ld)
LANARIACEAE (La)
Edelweiss Lily Family (Wf)
lana, = wool;
-arius, = indicates connexion or possession.
(woolly flower)
(ld, BL, Le)
LAURACEAE (La)
Laurel Family (Le)
laurus, = a bay-tree, laurel-tree, laurel, sacred to Apollo; Lauridia sacred to ‘Daphne’**).
The laurel is sacred to Apollo. Daphne, whom he, after the discharge of two arrows by Cupid (one of gold for Apollo and the other of lead for Daphne), pursued; ‘he on the wings of love and she on those of fear’. Daphne appealed to her father, Peneus, to change her form which had brought her into that danger. Immediately, a stiffness seized her limbs; her bosom began to be enclosed in a tender bark; her hair became leaves; her arms became branches; her foot stuck fast in the ground, as a root; her face became a treetop, retaining nothing of its former self but its beauty’. ‘Since you cannot be my wife,’ said Apollo, ‘you shall assuredly be my tree.’
(ld, Le, Bu)
LECANORACEAE (G)
Lichen ()
lekane, = a little dish, pan, platter;
-ora, = border, edge.
(LS, BL)
LENTIBULARIACEAE (La)
Bladderwort Family (Wf)
lens, = a lentil;
tubus, = a pipe, tube.
-ulus, = diminutive;
-aris, = belonging or pertaining to.

(ld, BL)
LEPIDOZIACEAE (G)
Moss ()
lepis, = a scale, husk, shell;
(scale (of fish, snake), flake)
ozos, = a bough, branch, twig, shoot.
(LS, BL)
A class of the Lichenes containing species with no known method of sexual reproduction.
(Int)
LINACEAE (G)
Flax Family (Wf)
linon,= flax; the thread spun by the Fates.
The Fates, Clotho, Lachesis and Atropos. whose office was to spin the thread of human destiny, were armed with shears, with which they cut it off when they pleased. They were the daughters of Themis (Law), who sits by Jove on his throne to give him counsel.
(LS, PG)
LOBARIACEAE (G)
Lichen ()
lobos, = the lobe or lower part of the ear;
(capsule or pod)
-ia, = characteristics of, indicates connection or resemblance.
(LS, BL)
LOBELIACEAE
Lobelia Family (Le)
For Mathias de L'Obel (1538-1616).**
(Ch)
LOMARIOPSIDACEAE (G)
Fern Family (Le)
loma, = the hem or border of a robe;
(hem, fringe, border)
-atus, = indicates possession or likeness.
-opsis, = aspect, appearance, hence ‘resemblance’.
(relating to the sori on the edge of fronds)
(LS, BL, K3)
LOPHOCOLEACEAE (G, La)
Moss ()
lophos, = crest, tuft of hair; a cock’s comb.
coleus (culleus), = a sheath, a leather bag, a sack for holding liquids.
(LS, ld)
LYCOPODIACEAE (G)
Club Mosses (I21)
lukos, = wolf;
-podus, = footed, based.
(the rhizomes resemble a wolf’s paw)
(LS, BL, Le)
LYTHRACEAE (G)
Pride of India and Loosestrife Family (Le)
lythron, = filth, defilement, especially of blood; gore, impure blood.
(black blood; flower colour of some speies)
(LS, Le)