Native name for stinkwood in French Guiana.
(Le)

For Georg Christian Oeder (1782 - 1791).**
(Ch)

oinos, = wine;
thera, = a hunting, the chase, eager pursuit (of anything).
(roots of O. biennis were supposed to give one a thirst for wine)
(LS, Le)

Obscure; most authorities credit the name to Michael Adanson (1727 - 1806), who named the species after a friend M. Oft. The name was unexplained.
(K3)

For Franz Pehr Oldenburg (1740-1774).**
(Ch)

elaia, = the olive tree.
olea, = an olive.

(LS)

For Johan Henrik Olin (1769-1824).**
(Ch)

oncos, = mass, bulk; in modern Greek, also tumour;
(swollen, puffed out, bulky)
nema, = that which is spun, thread, yarn, the thread of a spider’s web.
(anthers carry ovate appendages)
(Ox, BL, LS, Le)

oncos, = mass, bulk; in modern Greek, also tumour;
(swollen, puffed out, bulky)
siphon, = a tube.
(tube, pipe)
(base of the corolla tube which is much swollen)
(Ox, BL, LS, Le)

onyx, = in plural, ‘the talons of a bird of prey’; in singular, of beasts of prey, ‘a claw’;
ous, otis, = an ear.
(clawed base of petals)

(LS, BL, Le)

ophis, = a serpent, snake;
glossa, = the tongue.
(LS)

orbis, = a ring, round surface, disk, hoop, orbit, orb, a circle;
(ring, circle, orb)
-eus, = indicates material or colour or resemblance in quality.
(probably a reference to the well developed annulus)
(ld, BL, Le)

ornis, = a bird;
ornith-,= pertaining to birds, bird-like;
gala, = milk.
(pigeon’s milk- (high fat, milk-like secretions produced in pigeons’ crops for feeding young. “Bird’s milk” was colloquial in Ancient Greek for something beautiful)
(LS, BL, Le)

ornis, = a bird;
ornith-,= pertaining to birds, bird-like;
glossa, = the tongue.
(narrow tepals)
(LS, BL, Le)

ornis, = a bird;
ornith-, = pertaining to birds, bird-like;
pous, podos, = a foot.
(shape of the leaves)
(LS, BL, Le)

orobos, = the vetch;
ancho, = strangle, to throttle.
orobanche, = a plant, broom-rape, choke-weed.
(parasite believed to kill the host plant)
(LS, BL, Ox, ld, Le)

oros, = a mountain, hill;
thamnos, = a bush, shrub.

(LS)

After Orpheus.**
[There is only one species, O.frutescens, whose anthers are coiled and open in response to the buzz of the wings of its pollinator, the carpenter bee]
(Ch, AB)

orthos, = straight; (in height), upright, standing erect; (in line), a straght line;
cheilos¸= a lip.
(LS)

os, oris, = the mouth;
-ulum, = diminutive;
osculor, = to kiss;
-arius, = indicates connection or possession.
(fanciful likeness of the toothed leaves)
(ld, BL, Le)

osmē, osma, = a smell, scent, odour, whether good or bad; a scent, perfume;
-opsis, = aspect, appearance, hence ‘resemblance’.
(resembling the genus OSMITES – now a non-existent genus)
(LS, BL, Le)

For Osmund,** the waterman or for the Anglo-Saxon equivalent of Thor, god of thunder.
The derivation of this family name is obscure. Jackson gives five possibilities, but doubt remains as to which, if any, are correct.
(Ro)

osteon, = a bone;
sperma, = that which is sown, seed.
(hard achenes)

(LS, Le)

ozos, = a bough, branch, twig, shoot.
(the bush is much branched)
(LS, Le)

otheo, osaske, = to thrust, push, shove, force away or from a place;
othein, = to push;
lobos, = the lobe or lower part of the ear;
(capsule or pod).
-ium = diminutive.
(fruit of O. caffrum appears to push out of the calyx)
(LS, Ox, BL, Le)

othone, = a sheet, linen, cloth.
(Ancient Greek name, probably from othonne, linen, cloth; probably the soft texture of the leaves of some species)
(LS, Le)

oxys, = sharp, keen, pointed;
oxy-, = sharp, sour, pointed;
-alis, -aris, = belonging or pertaining to, resembling, provided with.
(oxalic acid content)
(LS, BL, Le)