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Quiz about The Universal Language of Plant Names

The Universal Language of Plant Names Quiz

Plants usually have two names - their common name and a Latin one. The Latin one tells you more about the plant than the common name and also provides a universal language for horticulturalists. So here's a quiz to help you understand them better.

A multiple-choice quiz by greybrow. Estimated time: 4 mins.

Author
greybrow

Time
4 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
260,578

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
6 / 10

Plays
2889

Awards
Top 20% Quiz

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. I'm looking at the common lavender which is notable for its narrow leaves. This is why its Latin name is Lavandula... Hint

bellidifolia

angustifolia

densiflora

graminifolia

NEXT>

Question 2 of 10

2. It's the middle of summer and my passion flower is in full bloom with wonderful blue flowers (it is the variety known as "Constance Elliot"). This means that its Latin name is Passiflora... Hint

aurea

caerulea

phoenicea

viridis

NEXT>

Question 3 of 10

3. I can smell the wonderful aroma of the licorice (or liquorice) plant which is notable for its very smooth leaves. For this reason its Latin name is Glycyrrhiza ... Hint

glabra

hirsuta

glutinosa

lanata

NEXT>

Question 4 of 10

4. I'm looking at a shrub which is a natural pH detector. It flowers blue in acid soil, pink in alkali soil and purple in neutral soils. It is, of course, the hydrangea which originally came from Japan. It is notable for its large leaves which is why its Latin name is Hydrangea... Hint

macrocarpa

macrorrhiza

macrantha

macrophylla

NEXT>

Question 5 of 10

5. Walking through my garden, it is awash with the wonderful blue/purple colour of the common violets. They give off a wonderful aroma which is why its Latin name is Viola... Hint

inodora

somnifera

foetida

odorata

NEXT>

Question 6 of 10

6. In the corner of my garden is a beautiful tree with wonderful silver bark and graceful hanging leaves. It is commonly known as the silver birch but, because of its drooping or hanging branchlets, its Latin name is Betula... Hint

volubilis

procumbens

pendula

scandens

NEXT>

Question 7 of 10

7. At the front of my house is a magnificent clematis which can climb 30' or more up walls. Its common name is the anemone clematis but, because its natural habitat is in the mountains, its Latin name is Clematis... Hint

muralis

montana

rivularis

arboricola

NEXT>

Question 8 of 10

8. I've always loved fuchsias but they can be quite tender. However the plant I am looking at now is wonderfully hardy as it comes originally from South America. For that reason its Latin name is Fuchsia... Hint

graeca

helvetica

sinense

magellanica

NEXT>

Question 9 of 10

9. The borders of my garden are awash with the wonderful yellow of the cutleaf cinquefoil. So called because its leaves are so numerous its Latin name is therefore Potentilla... Hint

rotundafolia

millefolia

integrifolia

longifolia

NEXT>

Question 10 of 10

10. I'm now looking at a plant which, alongside the potato, rice and wheat, is a staple diet for a huge percentage of the world's poorest people, particularly in Africa and Asia. It is commonly called cassava but, because it is edible, its Latin name is Manihot... Hint

farinosa

velutina

pulverulenta

esculenta

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. I'm looking at the common lavender which is notable for its narrow leaves. This is why its Latin name is Lavandula...

Answer: angustifolia

The other options are: "bellidifolia" - having leaves like a daisy, e.g. the alpine bittercress (Cardamine bellidifolia); "densiflora" - a dense flowered plant or tree, e.g. the Japanese red pine (Pinus densiflora) and "graminifolia" - having grassy leaves, e.g. lance leaved goldenrod (Euthamia graminifolia, also known as Solidago graminifolia)

2. It's the middle of summer and my passion flower is in full bloom with wonderful blue flowers (it is the variety known as "Constance Elliot"). This means that its Latin name is Passiflora...

Answer: caerulea

The other options are: aurea - yellow, e.g. golden bamboo (Phyllostachis aurea); phoenicea - purple or scarlet, e.g. scarlet gum (Eucalyptus phoenicea) and viridis - green, e.g. green hellebore (Helleborus viridis)

3. I can smell the wonderful aroma of the licorice (or liquorice) plant which is notable for its very smooth leaves. For this reason its Latin name is Glycyrrhiza ...

Answer: glabra

The other options are: glutinosa - sticky, e.g. European alder (Alnus glutinosa); hirsuta - hairy, e.g. hairy pagoda plant (Blephilia hirsuta) and lanata - woolly, e.g. Grecian foxglove (Digitalis lanata)

Answer: macrophylla

The other options are: macrocarpa - large fruited, e.g. hoary evening primrose (Oenothera macrocarpa); macrantha - large flowered, e.t. big betony (Stachys macrantha) and macrorrhiza - large rooted, e.g. giant taro which is also called giant elephant ear (Alocasia macrorrhiza)

5. Walking through my garden, it is awash with the wonderful blue/purple colour of the common violets. They give off a wonderful aroma which is why its Latin name is Viola...

Answer: odorata

The other options are: inodora - non-scented, e.g. odourless bayberry (Morella inodora); foetida - foul or unpleasant smelling, e.g. stinking passion flower (Passiflora foetida) and somnifera - sleep inducing, e.g. ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) which is used as a tranquiliser in India

Answer: pendula

The other options are: procumbens - creeping, e.g. Japanese garden juniper (Juniperus procumbens); scandens - climbing, e.g. snake vine (Hibbertia scandens) and volubilis - twining, e.g. downy milkpea (Galactia volubilis)

Answer: montana

The other options are: muralis - growing on walls, e.g. wall screw moss (Tortula muralis); rivularis - growing near rivers, e.g. streambank lupin or lupine (Lupinus rivularis) and arboricola - growing on trees, e.g. dwarf umbrella tree (Schefflera arboricola)

Answer: magellanica

The other options are: graeca - from Greece, e.g. silk vine (Periploca graeca); sinense - from China, e.g. Chinese privet (Ligustrum sinense) and helvetica - from Switzerland, e.g. Swiss willow (Salix helvetica)

9. The borders of my garden are awash with the wonderful yellow of the cutleaf cinquefoil. So called because its leaves are so numerous its Latin name is therefore Potentilla...

Answer: millefolia

The other options are: rotundafolia - round leaved, e.g. round-leafed mint (Mentha rotundafolia); integrifolia - entire or undivided leaves, e.g. solitary clematis (Clematis integrifolia) and longifolia - long leafed, e.g. long-leafed phlox (Phlox longifolia)

Answer: esculenta

The other options are: farinosa - powdery or floury, e.g. colicroot or stargrass (Aletris farinosa); pulverulenta - dusty, e.g. silver mountain gum (Eucalyptus pulverilenta) and velutina - velvety, e.g. velvet pink banana (Musa velutina)

Source: Author greybrow

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