A Grammatical Dictionary of Botanical Latin

Botany (Eng.noun), the study of plants; “That science which teaches us to distinguish one plant from every other, and leads us to the knowledge of its peculiarities, is called Botany, ([in Latin] Botanice, Botanica, Scientia botanica, Phytologia, Botanologia)” (Willdenow); see phytologia,-ae (s.f.I); see First Declension.

NOTE that Willdenow used both the spelling ‘Botanice’ and ‘Botanica’ (= the science of Botany). Both are first declension nouns. Usually when such a noun ends in –a, it is declined like a standard first declension Latin noun ending in –a in the nom.sg. (-a,-ae,-ae,-am,-a). Whenthe same first declension noun (also) may end in –e (= Gk. Eta) in the nom.sg., it is declined differently (e,-es,-ae, -en, -e in the singular). Botanica is unusual in that although the noun ends in an –a in the nom.sg., it is declined as though it ended in –e in all the oblique cases in the singular:

Botanica,-es (s.f.I) is seldom (or never?) declined like a typical first declension noun ending in –a in nom.sg.:

       singular    plural (= standard first decl. noun in plural)
Nom.  botanica     botanicae
Gen.  botanices    botanicarum
Dat.  botanicae    botanicis
Acc.  botanicen    botanicas
Abl.  botanice     botanicis

NOTE: the nom.sg. may also end in an –e (botanice).

NOTE: another word, 'America,' q.v., is often declined as though it ended in –e in the nom.sg., the genitive sg. –es, etc.

- professor botanices, professor of botany.

- Patri optimo dilectissimo cui prima botanices gaudia debet hasce studiorum botanicorum primitias grata piaque mente D. D. D. Filius, Auctor; the Son, the Author, with a grateful and pious heart gave and dedicated as a gift [=D.D.D.] these first fruits of his botanical studies to his best, most (be)loved [esteemed] father, to whom he owes the first joys of botany.

- Opera JO. JAC. DILLENII, M. D. in Universitate OXONIENSI Botanices Prosessoris Sherardini (Dill.), the work of John Jacob Dillenius, M.D. at the University of Oxford, Sherardian Professor of Botany.

- Botanice est Scientia Naturalis, quae Vegetabilium cognitionem tradit (Linnaeus, Phil. Bot., 1; 1750), botany is the natural science which transmits knowledge of plants.

- stirpem decoram hinc in botanices tributum exile quidem sed nihilominus non interiturum et in summae venerationis testimonium offero (F. Muell.), I present a beautiful plant henceforth in a tribute [i.e. gift] of botany that is small indeed but nevertheless not to become insignificant among them, and in a testimonial of the highest veneration.

2. botanologia,-ae (s.f.I): botany, the study of plants.

3. herbaria,-ae (s.f.I), “the science of herbs” (Glare) (herbarius,-ii (s.m.II), abl.sg. herbario: a herbalist).

4. phytologia,-ae (s.f.I), abl. sg. phytologia;

- P. B.= Phytologia Britannica Londini edita 1650. 8. (Ray), British Botany [i.e. Botany of Britain], published in London, 8 [octavo].

5. ars herbariae, the knowledge of plants, botany (see ars,-artis (s.f.III);

6. res (s.f.V) herbariae (gen.sg. herbaria,-ae (s.f.I), the business of botany, botany.

- institutiones rei herbariae, elements of botany (Stearn); also principles of botany.

- Rei Herbariae cultoribus (Swartz), for the friends of botany.

- Explicatio Nominum Scriptorum Rei Herbariae, quorum mentio fit in hoc opere (Tourn.), an explanation of the names of authors of botany, the mention of whom may be made in this work.

- botanices professor, professor of botany. (Stearn 1983).

- res (s.f.V) herbaria (adj.A), nom. pl. res herbariae, botany, the business of botany, botanical affairs, a (professional) interest in botany.

Cf. Phytographia,-ae (s.f.I), q.v.: phytography “that part of Botany which teaches the art of describing plants” (Lindley); “the description and illustration of plants, descriptive and systematic, or taxonomic botany” (Jackson).