pachys, = thick, large, stout;
-ities, = indicates a concept or quality.
(refers to the robust, thick column)
(LS, BL, Co)

panis, = bread.
panicum, = Italian panic grass, (panicum Italicum).
(used for making bread)

(ld, Le)

pannus, = a cloth, a garment, a rag, tatters; perhaps a rag-like substance that grows on the tree aegilops, besides its acorns;
-alis, -aris, = belonging or pertaining to, resembling, provided with.
pannarius, = of or pertaining to cloth.
(ld, BL)

para-, = beside; contrary to;
nomos, = an usage, custom, convention, law.
paranomos, = contrary to law and custom, unlawful, illegal.
(adult plants have both entire and dissected leaves)

(LS, Le)

para-, = by the side of, near, compared with; similar to, as in generic names; (Here – SERIANTHES.)
sēres, = a people of Eastern Asia, (the modern Chinese), celebrated for their silken fabrics;
anthos, = a flower, the bloom of a flower.
(BL, Le, ld, LS)

paspale, = the finest meal: a morsel, scrap.
paspalos, = millet.
(LS, K3)

passer, = a sparrow;
-inus, = indicates possession or resemblance..
passerinus, = of or fit for a sparrow.
(black seeds resembling a sparrow’s beak)

(ld, BL, Le)

pauros, = little, small;
-idum, = diminutive.
(small size of some species)
(LS, BL, Le)

pelargos, = a stork;
-ium, = ‘characteristic of’, hence indicates connection or resemblance.
(the fruit resembles the beak of a stork)
(LS, BL, Le)

pellos,= dark coloured, blackish, dusky;
-eus, = indicates material or colour or resemblance in quality.
(LS, BL)

For Pierre Pena (1535-1605).**
(Ch)

penna, pinna, = a feather; a wing;
(a feather, wing, pen; (have often been used indiscriminately))
saeta, seta, = a thick, stiff hair, a bristle; of the spiny leaves of coniferous trees.
(a bristle, bristle-like organ, as the fruit-stalk of a (sporophore) moss)
(some species have plumose bristles)
(ld, BL, Le)

penta-, = five-;
meros, = part.
(referring to parts or their number)
(LS, BL)

penta-, = five;
schiz, schizo, = to split, cleave.
(cut, divided)
(lemma with five divisions)
(LS, BL, Le)

peperi, = pepper;
omoios, = like, alike;
-ium, = ‘characteristic of’.
(resembling pepper plant)
(Ox, LS, BL, Le)

persicus, persicum, = a peach-tree; a peach;
-arius, = indicates connection or possession.
(allusion not clear)

(ld, BL, Le)

petros, = a piece of rock, a stone;
ragas, ragades, = rent/s, chink/s.
rhax, rhag-, = grape. (allusion unclear)
(possibly a reference to the brown stone-like calex of a single bud at the end of a stem from which the petals emerge)
(LS, Ox, Le, LB)

peuce, peukina = the fir, of the fir;
edanos, = eatable.
peucedanon, = the herb, hogg’s fennel.
(Greek name for Ferula, the “hoggs fennel” a closely related genus)
(LS, Ox, Le)

phaino, =to bring to light, make to appear: to shew, to make clear or known, hence to lay bare, uncover, disclose;
come, = the hair; the foliage, leaves of trees.
coma, = the hair of the head.
(tuft of hair)
OR
phaino, = to shine;
come, = the hair; the foliage, leaves of trees.
coma, = tuft of hair.
(slight misnomer as the shiny bracts are not hairy, and the tomentose outer bracts and stem are not shiny)
[however, note that the new stems are in fact silvery-white and shiny and there are clearly terminal bristles on all the involucral bracts]
(LS, Ws, BL, Le, ga)

Pliny’s name for a similar grass; adopted by Linnaeus in his Hortus Cliffortianus (1773) 23 as the name of this genus.
Phalaris was a tyrant of Agrigentum, for whom Perillus made a brazen bull, in which those condemned by him were to be roasted alive. He caused Perillus to be the first to suffer by it, but afterwards experienced the same punishment himself at the hands of his exasperated subjects.
(Ox, ld)

Named after Pharnaces II (63 - 47 B.C.).**
(Le)

phlegein, = to burn;
phlegma, = inflammation.
phlegma, = a clammy humour of the body; phlegm;
oura, = of the tail;
-urus, = -tailed, i.e. with an elongated or tail-like appendage.
(a reference to the fertile part of these plants that are in the form of a long tail)
(LS, ld, BL, I21)

phragma, = a fence, protection, palisade, defence;
(fence, screen, partition)
-ites, -itis, = indicates a close connection.
(LS, BL)

phyllon, = a leaf;
-icus, = indicates ‘belonging to’.
(apparently a misspelling by Linnaeus from phyllikos, leafy)
(LS, BL, Le)

phyllon, = a leaf;
anthos, = a flower, the bloom of a flower.
phyllanthus, = leaf-flower.

(LS)

phyllon, = a leaf;
bolos, bolus, = a throw or cast.
(shedding of deciduous leaves of some species)
(BL, ld, Le)

phyllon, = a leaf;
pous, podos, = a foot.
(the base of a leaf stalk or main axis of a leaf)
(shape of leaves)
(LS, Ox, Le)

physalis, = a bladder, bubble.
(inflated calex)
(LS, Le)

phyton, = a plant, tree;
lac, = milk; milky juice, milk of plants.
lak, = crimson.
(the juice of the fruit is crimson red)
(laksha, = lacca, gum-lac, is the dark-red resinous incrustation produced on certain trees by the puncture of an insect (Caccus lacca); used in the East as a scarlet dye).
(LS, ld, Ox, Le)

For Neville Pillans (1884 - 1964).**
(Ch)

pilos, = wool or hair wrought into felt, felt;
gyne, = a woman, female;
gyn, gyno-, = female or pertaining to female organs;
-gynous, = having female organs or pistils.
(with hairy ovary)
(LS, ld, Ox, BL)

pinus, = a pine, pine-tree; a fir, fir-tree.
(ld)

planta, = a sole, sole of the foot.
plantago, = plantain.
(in reference to the broad prostrate leaves)
(ld, Le, Ox)

platys, = flat, wide, broad;
caulos, = the stalk or stem of a plant.
(LS, ld)

platys, = flat, wide, broad;
lophos, = crest, tuft of hair; a cock’s comb.
(persistent styles which form a crest on the fruit)

(LS, Le)

plecos, = anything twisted or plaited, wickerwork;
stachys, = ear of corn.
(in modern botany, ‘spike’)
(LS, BL)

pleo, = more;
(many)
pelte, = small light shield without a rim.
(referring to lamina paleae)
(LS, BL, Le)

pleuron, = a rib, the ribs, the side;
(in Greek compound words, lateral, in a sideways position, ribbed)
-idium, = diminutive.
(the sporophytes often emerge laterally)
(LS, BL, Cl)

poa, = grass.
(LS)

poa, = grass;
agros, = a field, land.
agrostis, = a grass that mules feed on.
(LS)

After Podaleirios / Podalirius.**
(Ch, M)

pous, podos, = a foot;
carpos, = fruit.
(fleshy receptacle in some species)

(LS, Le)

polys, polle, poly, = (of number), many; (of size), heavy; (of value), much;
arrhen, = male.
(functionally male disc florets)
(LS, Le)

polys, polle, poly, = (of number), many; (of size), heavy; (of value), much;
carpos, = fruit.
(LS)

polys, polle, poly, = (of number), many; (of size), heavy; (of value), much;
gala, = milk.
(some European species supposedly increase the milk production of cows)
(LS, Le)

polys, polle, poly, = (of number), many; (of size), heavy; (of value), much;
gony, = the knee.
(knee, node (of grass), angled, angular)
(many-jointed stem)
(LS, BL, Le)

polys, polle, poly, = (of number), many; (of size), heavy; (of value), much;
pous, podos, = a foot;
-ium, = ‘characteristic of’, hence indicates connection or resemblance.
(LS, BL)

polys, polle, poly, = (of number), many; (of size), heavy; (of value), much;
pogon, = the beard.
(hairy glumes)
(LS, Le)

polys, polle, poly, = (of number), many; (of size), heavy; (of value), much;
thrix, = the hair both of man and beast; sheep’s wool.
-thrix, -trichis, = hair.
(LS, BL)

For Giulio (Julius) Pontedera (1688-1757).**
(Ch)

porta, = a gate, entrance, passage, outlet, door of any kind;
-ulus, = diminutive.
portula, = a small door or gate;
-acea, = indicates resemblance.
portulaca, = purslain.
(capsule opens like a gate)
(ld, BL, Le)

prenes, = bent forward, bent-foremost, downwards;
-ium, = ‘characteristic of’, hence indicates connection or resemblance.
(creeping habit of the plant)
(LS, BL, Le)

prion, = a saw;
-ium, = ‘characteristic of’, hence indicates connection or resemblance.
(margins of leaf blades)
(LS, BL, Le)

prisis, = a sawing;
prismaticus, = having several longitudinal angles and intermediate flat surfaces;
prisma,= prism;
-atus, = indicates possession or likeness;
carpos, = fruit.
(prism-shaped; having several longitudinal angles and intermediate flat surfaces)
(slender ovary becomes greatly elongated)
(LS, BL, Ox, Le)

protos, = first, foremost, front (of number or place).
(The name Protea was given by Linneaus in 1735. Some plants were sent to him from the Cape and he was evidently so impressed (or confused) by what he saw that he resorted to the name of the Greek God, Proteus.**)
(LS, Mv)

pseudo, = to be mistaken, be false;
(resembling but not equalling)
For Abraham Baeck (1713 - 1795).**
(bearing a false resemblance to the genus Baeckea in the family Myrtaceae; the genus having been named after Abraham Baeck)
(LS, Ox, Ch, K3)

pseudo, = to be mistaken, be false;
(resembling but not equalling)
krossos, = tassel, fringe, fimbria;
-idium, diminutive.
(fimbria, = thread, fibre, fringe;- the dentated or fringe-like ring of the operculum of mosses, by the elastic power of which the operculum is displaced)
(LS, Ox)

pseudo, = to be mistaken, be false;
(resembling but not equalling)
cyphella, = the hollows of the ears, a cup-like depression on the under surface of the thallus of some lichens;
-aria, = indicates connection or possession.
(LS, Ox, BL)

pseudo, = to be mistaken, be false;
(resembling but not equalling)
+ GNAPHALIUM.
gnapholon, = flock of wool; resemblance to downy plant used for stuffing cushions;
-ium, = ‘characteristic of’.
(resemblance to downy plant used for stuffing cushions)
(LS, Ox, BL, Le)

pseudo, = to be mistaken, be false;
(resembling but not equalling)
+ PENTAMERIS (q.v.).
(false Pentameris)
(LS, Ox, Le)

pseudo, = to be mistaken, be false;
(resembling but not equalling)
+ SELAGO (q.v.).
selago, = the name Selago is derived from sel, which means ‘sight’ and the Celtic word jach, which means ‘salutory’, referring to the supposed medicinal properties of the genus.
selago, = the club-moss resembling the savin-tree, Lycopodium selago;
(An ancient name for the club moss, the small leaves give members of this genus a superficial resemblance to the club moss)
Ancient name for LYCOPODIUM (q.v.).
Linnaeus thought there to be a likeness between leaves of these taxa.
(LS, Ox, PSA, ld)

psilo-, = bare, naked, bald;
clados, = a young slip or shoot of a tree; a young branch or shoot.
(LS)

psora, = a cutaneous disease, the itch, scab or mange; scabies;
-eus, =indicates ‘possessed by’ or belonging to.
(warty; rough glands that cover parts of the plant)
(LS, BL, Le)

pteron, = a feather, wings;
pteris, = fern;
-idium, = diminutive.
(fronds resemble a bird’s wing)
(LS, Ro, BL, Le)

pteron, = a feather, wings;
-is, = indicates a close connection.
pteris, = fern.
(LS, BL, Ro)

pteron, = a feather, wings;
kelastros, = holly.
(wing + the genus CELASTROS; the fruit carry horn or wing-like outgrowths)
(LS, Le)

pteron, = a feather, wings;
-ius, = means ‘characteristic of’, hence indicates connection or resemblance.
(LS, BL)

pteron, = a feather, wings;
pterygo-, = wing-, fin-, wing-like appendage;
-ium, = ‘characteristic of’, hence indicates connection or resemblance.
(wing-like, pterygoid, flared upper tepal)
(refers to the wing-like blade of the lip)
(LS, Ox, BL, Le, Co)

ptyche, ptyks, = anything in folds, a fold, leaf, layer, plate, wrinkles;
(referring to folds, pleats, clefts or deep grooves)
mitra, = a girdle; headband; mitre, turban;
-ium, = ‘characteristic of’, hence indicates connection or resemblance.
(LS, BL)

pulex, = a flea;
-aria, = indicates a place where something is done – used for.
pulicarius, pulicaris, = of or belonging to fleas, producing fleas, flea-bearing.
pulicaria = a plant, called also psyllion.
(used to repel fleas)
(ld, BL, Le)

For Aloys Putterlick (1810-1845).**
(Ch)

kupeiron, kupeiros, = a marsh-plant, used to feed horses.
(a rush or sedge)
(Anagram of the genus CYPERUS: inflorescences similar)
(Le, LS)

purros, = flame-coloured, red;
pyrrh-, pyrrho-, = fire –red, ruddy, flame coloured;
bryo, = to be full of anything, swell or teem with, (to cause to burst forth).
bruon, = moss.
(LS, BL, Ox)