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Roots: P

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!