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[-Home-] Roots: P


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pachy-
thick (Pachyrhizus = thick root / pachyphyllum = thick-leaved / Pachypodium = thick + foot)
palle- / palli- pale
(pallidus / pallidiflora = pale flower) (pallescens)
palm-
referring to a hand, a palm (usually leaf-shape) (palmata)
palustr-
referring to a swamp, marsh (palustris)
-panax
referring to a plant in the Aralia family, usually the genus Panax, which includes the Ginseng plant; panax comes from two Gr. words which mean all- afflictions, and the sense was (at least for Karl Linnaeus) that ginseng heals these diseases; (Oreopanax = mountain panax)
pandur-
referring to a fiddle (shape) (pandurata / panduriforme = fiddle-form / pandurifolia = fiddle-shaped leaves)
panicul-
referring to a panicle (paniculatus)
pannos-
ragged, hairy (pannosa)
papaver-
referring to the poppy (papaveracea)
papyr-
referring to paper (Papyrus) (papyrifera paper-bearing)
papil-
referring to a butterfly (papilionaceus = like the pea-family whose individual flowers are somewhat similar in form to a butterfly)
papill-
referring to nipples (papillosus)
paradis-
referring to gardens, paradise, parks (paradisiaca)
paradox-
unusual, strange, anomalous (paradoxus)
pard-
referring to a leopard (spotted) (pardalinus)
part-
referring to parts or a part (partitus)
parthen-
referring to a virgin, i.e., asexual reproduction (Parthenocissus = virgin's vine)
parv-
small (parviflora = small-flowered)
patagon-
referring to Argentina (patagoniensis)
patell-
referring to a disk (patellaris)
patens
spreading
patul-
spreading (patulus)
pauci-
few (pauciflora = few-flowered)
pavon-
referring to a peacock (pavonicus)
pectin-
referring to a comb, having teeth, finely-divided (pectinifera = comb-bearing) (pectinatus)
pector-
referring to the breastbone (shape) (pectoralis)
ped-
referring to a foot (shape), or, by extension, a basal structure (pedicillatus = having a stalk) often also mean palmate, which word, itself, refers not to a foot but to a hand, as in a palmate leaf; (Pedilanthus = foot (shoe) flower), one common name is Slipper Spurge (spurge is a general common name applied to many plants in the Euphorbia Family) (pedatum)
pedunc-
referring to a peduncle (pedunculatus)
pelluc-
pellucid, having translucent dots/spots (pellucidus)
pelt-
peltate, stalk attached to the center, as opp. to the margin, from the Gr. for a shield of some sort (peltophorum = bearing a shield)
pelvi-
referring to the pelvis (shape) (pelviformis)
pendul-
referring to an earring, hanging, drooping (penduliflora = hanging flowers / pendula)
penn-
referring to a feather (pennatus)
penta-
referring to the number five (pentanthus = five-flowered)
per- / peri-
surrounding (perfoliata = leaf surrounding a stem)
peregrin-
foreign (peregrina)
perenn-
perennial (perennis)
persic-
referring to Persia (Iran) (persica)
-persic(...)
referring to a peach (Lycopersicum ((the tomato)) = wolf-peach probably because this fruit was originally believed to be deadly poisonsous)
perspic-
transparent, clear (perspicuus)
pertus-
perforated (pertusum)
-pes
referring to a foot or stalk (longipes = long-stalked)
petiol-
referring to a petiole, leaf stalk (petiolatus / petiolaris)
petr-
referring to rocks (Petrocallis = rock beauty) (petraea)
phaedr-
splendid (Phaedranthus = splendid flower)
phalae-
referring to a moth (Phalaenopsis = moth-like)
phaner-
obvious, open (phanerophlebia = conspicuously-veined)
phell-
referring to cork (Phellodendron = cork tree)
phil-
loving, desirous of (Philodendron = tree loving because they often grow thereon)
-phil(...)
loving, desirous of (anemophilus = wind-loving)
-phleb(...)
referring to veins
-phloe(...)
referring to bark
phlog-
referring to a flame (Phlogacanthus = flame + thorn)
phoeni-
referring to the genus Phoenix or the color purple - (Phoenix is the date palm genus) (phoenicolasius = purple hair)
pholid-
referring to a scale (Pholidocarpus = scaly fruit - a genus of palms)
-phor(...)
bearing, carrying (cladophora = branch-bearing)
phora-
referring to a thief (Phoradendron = thief of a tree - the mistletoe genus)
-phorb(...)
referring to food or fruit
phot-
referring to light, shining (Photinia, because of the glossy foliage)
phragm-
referring to a wall or fence or hedge
phryg-
referring to Asia Minor, Phrygian
phyl-
referring to leaves
phys-
referring to a bladder (Physalis; Physocarpus = bladder fruit)
-phyt(...)
referring to a plant (calophytum = beautiful plant)
pict-
painted, variegated (picta)
pil-
referring to a cap (Pilocarpus = cap-shaped fruit) (pileata)
pili-
referring to hairs (pilifera = hair-bearing)
pilos-
hairy (pilosus)
pilul-
referring to a globule (Pilularia = a little ball)
pini-
referring to a pine tree (pinicarpus = fruits like a pine cone)
pinn-
referring to a feather (pinnata)
pipt-
falling, descending (Pipturus = descending tail)
pisc-
referring to a fish (Piscidia = fish + kill - the Fish- Poison Tree of tropical America)
pis-
referring to the genus Pisa, the Pea (pisifera = pea-bearing)
pit-
referring to pitch or resin (Pittosporum = resinous seed)
pithec-
referring to a monkey, an ape (Pithecoctenium = monkey's comb)
placat-
calm (placatus)
plag-
referring to an oblique angle, sideways (Plagianthus = flowers at an angle)
plan-
flat (planifolia = flat-leaved / planatus / planipes = flat + foot, i.e., stalk)
platan-
referring to a plantain, or the Plane Tree genus, Platanus (platanoides)
platy-
broad, flat (Platycerium = flat horn - the stag-horn fern)
plect-
plaited (Plectocomia = plaited hair)
plectr-
referring to a spur (Plectranthus = spurred flower)
plei-
many (Pleiogynium = many female parts)
plen-
full (plenissimus= very full)
pleur-
referring to a side, or a cavity, or ribs (Pleurospermum = ribbed seed)
-plex
referring to trunks or stems (multiplex = many-trunked)
plicat-
folded, pleated (plicatus)
plum-
referring to a plume or feather (plumosus)
plumb-
referring to lead (the metal) (Plumbago, referring to the color of the flowers of this genus)
pluri-
many (plurifolia = many-leaved)
pluv-
referring to rain (pluvialis)
pod-
referring to a stalk - or FOOT (Podocarpus = stalked fruit / podophyllus = stalked leaf)
pogo-
referring to a beard (Pogostemon = bearded stamen)
-pogon
referring to a beard (Andropogon = man/male + beard)
poli-
gray, white (poliofolia = gray-leaved / polifolia)
polit-
polished (polita)
poly-
many (polyanthemos = many-flowered)
pom-
referring to an apple - any fruit similar in shape to an apple (pomacea / pomifera = apple-bearing)
ponderos-
ponderous (ponderosus)
popul-
referring to the poplar (shape) (populifolia = poplar- leaved / populnea)
porc-
referring to a pig (porcinus)
-potam(...)
referring to a river (megapotamicum = large river)
poten-
powerful (Potentilla = diminutive of potens, referring to the supposed medicinal properties of this the Cinquefoil genus))
praecox
premature, early
praest-
noble, distinguished (praestans)
prasin-
referring to the color green (prasinus)
praten-
referring to a meadow (pratensis)
precator-
referring to prayer (precatorius)
premn-
referring to a tree (Epipremnum = growing on trees
prim-
prime, first (Primula, because of its early blooming in Spring)
primul-
referring to the genus Primula, the primrose (primulaceus / primuloides = like Primula)
princ-
princely, of first (prime) quality (princeps)
probosc-
referring to a nose (proboscidea)
procer-
tall (procerum)
procumb-
lying down, procumbent, bending forwards (procumbens)
procur-
extended (procurrens)
propend-
hanging, drooping (propendens)
propinqu-
near, related (propinquus)
pruin-
having a bloom (referring to color and texture) (pruinosa)
prun-
referring to a plum, usually to the color (prunifolius = prune-leaved)
prur-
itch causing (pruriens)
pseud-
false (Pseudolarix = false Larch)
psit-
referring to a parrot (psittacinus)
pter-
referring to a wing (Pterocarya = winged nut; and Pteris, a genus of ferns) (pteranthus = winged flower)
-pter(...)
referring to a wing - ALSO Gr. for a fern (tetraptera = four-winged) (the fern appellation would seem to have come about via the resemblance of the feather part of a wing in close-up to a fern frond -- fascinating, no?)
ptych-
referring to a fold, a wrikle (Ptychosperma = folded seed)
pub-
referring to down (hairs) (puberulatus pubigerus)
pudic-
shrinking, closing, modest (Mimosa pudica, so named because the pinnate leaves fold up the leaflets at night or when touched)
pulchel-
beautiful (pulchellus)
pulchr-
beautiful (pulchra)
pulver-
powdery (pulverulenta)
pulvin-
referring to a cushion (pulvinatus)
pumil-
small, dwarf (pumila)
punctat-
dotted, spotted (punctatus / punctatissima = very much dotted)
pung-
sharp, pointed, pungent, piercing (pungens)
punic-
referring to Punica (Carthage/N.Afr.) Punica, the pome- granate, native to that area OR the color reddish-purple (puniceus)
purpur-
referring to the color purple (purpurea)
-pus
referring to a foot (or basal structure, like a stalk) (leptopus = skinny-stalked / brachypus = short-stalked)
pusil-
insignificant, obscure, small, dwarf (pusillus)
pycn-
thick, dense (Pycnanthemum = densely flowered) (pycnostachya = dense + spike (flowers))
pygm-
pygmy, small, dwarf (pygmaea)
pyr-
referring to a pear, or actually any fruit - OR to FIRE (pyriformis = formed like a pear) (Pyracantha = fire thorn)
pyren-
referring to grain (Pyrenacantha = grain + thorn)) HOWEVER, pyrenaicus refers to the Pyrenees Mts. of France!

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Last updated on 10/14/94