LITTLE BOOK OF LATIN FOR GARDENERS (PB)

How did the delphinium get its name? Which parts of the body lend their names to auriculas and orchids? Why are nasturtiums and antirrhinums connected? And what does an everlasting pea have to do with Indian miniature paintings? This lively survey, beautifully illustrated with antique woodcuts, argues that Botanical Latin is not merely useful, but fun. It explains how and why plants have been named, includes handy lists of identifying adjectives, and takes the reader down some of the stranger byways of human endeavour and eccentricity.