Mesemb etymology
| Name | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Acrodon N.E.Br. | Gr. acros dot, odus teeth |
| Aethephyllum N.E.Br. | Gr. aither ether, phyllon leaf; perhaps, it is about “ethereal beauty” of leafs |
| Aloinopsis Schwantes | Gr. “Aloe-like” (because some original species, now moved to Nananthus, resemble Aloe) |
| Antegibbaeum Schwantes ex C. Weber | Lat. “pre-Gibbaeum”, “ancient Gibbaeum” |
| Antimima N.E.Br. emend. Dehn | Gr. antimimos imitating (type species Antimima dualis resembles Argyroderma) |
| Apatesia N.E.Br. | Gr. apatesis deception (plant looks like Hymenogyne) |
| Aptenia N.E.Br. | Gr. apten wingless (valves of capsule) |
| Arenifera Herre | Lat. arena sand, ferre carry |
| Argyroderma N.E.Br. | Gr. argyros silver, derma skin |
| Aspazoma N.E.Br. | Gr. aspazomai to clasp (leaf sheath clasps stem) |
| Astridia Dinter | after Astrid Schwantes, wife of G. Schwantes |
| Bergeranthus Schwantes | after botanist Alwin Berger, Stuttgart, Germany |
| Bijlia N.E.Br. | after Mrs. Debora van der Bijl |
| Braunsia Schwantes | after Dr. Hans Brauns, RSA |
| Brownanthus Schwantes | after great English botanist Dr. N.E. Brown |
| Calamophyllum Schwantes | Gr. calamus reed, phyllon leaf |
| Carpanthea N.E.Br. | Gr. carpos fruit, anthe flower |
| Carpobrotus N.E.Br. | Gr. carpos fruit, brota edible thing |
| Carruanthus (Schwantes) Schwantes | after Karoo desert |
| Caryotophora O. Leistner | Gr. karyotos nut, phorein to carry |
| Cephalophyllum N.E.Br. | Gr. kephale head, phyllon leaf |
| Cerochlamys N.E.Br. | Gr. keros wax, chlamis mantle (wax coating of leafs) |
| Chasmatophyllum N.E.Br. | Gr. chasma open mouth, phyllon leaf |
| Cheiridopsis N.E.Br. | Gr. cheiris sleeve, opsis like |
| Circandra N.E.Br. | Gr. kirkos circle, andros male (anthers are arranged in a ring) |
| Conicosia N.E.Br. | Gr. konikos cone-shaped (capsule) |
| Conophytum N.E.Br. | Gr. konikos cone, phyton plant |
| Corpuscularia Schwantes | Lat. corpus body, particle; “group of particles” |
| Cylindrophyllum Schwantes | Gr. kylindros cylinder, phyllon leaf |
| Dactylopsis N.E.Br. | Gr. dactylos finger, opsis like |
| Deilanthe N.E.Br. | Gr. deile evening, anthe flower |
| Delosperma N.E.Br. | Gr. delos visible, sperma seed (structure of capsule) |
| Dicrocaulon N.E.Br. | Gr. dicros branch, caulon stem |
| Didymaotus N.E.Br. | Gr. didymos double, aotus flower |
| Dinteranthus Schwantes | after Prof. K. Dinter, Germany |
| Diplosoma Schwantes | Gr. diplos double, soma body |
| Disphyma N.E.Br. | Gr. dis- two, phyma tubercule (capsule structure) |
| Dorotheanthus Schwantes | Lat. “flower of Dorothea” (after mother of G. Schwantes) |
| Dracophilus (Schwantes) Dinter et Schwantes | Gr. draco dragon, philos friend; after Drakenfels (“Dragon's rock”) in Namibia |
| *Drosanthemopsis Rauschert | Gr. like Drosanthemum |
| Drosanthemum Schwantes | Gr. drosos dew, anthemon flower |
| Eberlanzia Schwantes | after F. Eberlanz, Namibia |
| Ebracteola Dinter et Schwantes | Lat. bracteola bract, ebracteola without bract |
| Ectotropis N.E.Br. | Gr. ectos outside, tropis keel (structure of capsule) |
| Enarganthe N.E.Br. | Gr. enarges shining, anthe flower |
| Erepsia N.E.Br. | Gr. erepsis the cover (flower structure) |
| Faucaria Schwantes | Lat. faux jaw (fauces jaws) “group of jaws” |
| Fenestraria N.E.Br. | Lat. fenestra window, “group of windows” |
| Frithia N.E.Br. | after Frank Frith, RSA |
| Gibbaeum N.E.Br. | Gk. gibba hump |
| Glottiphyllum N.E.Br. | Gr. glottis tongue, phyllon leaf |
| Hallianthus H.E.K. Hartmann | after Harry Hall, Kristenbosch, gardener and field botanist |
| Hammeria P. Burgoyne | after Steven Hammer, USA |
| Hereroa (Schwantes) Dinter et Schwantes | after Herero, South Africa natives |
| Hymenogyne Haw. | Gr. hymen skin, gyne wife |
| Jacobsenia L. Bolus et Schwantes | after German botanist H. Jacobsen, Kiel Botanic Garden |
| Jensenobotrya Herre | after Emil Jensen, and Gr. botrya bunch of grapes |
| Juttadinteria Schwantes | after Jutta Dinter, wife of K. Dinter |
| Khadia N.E.Br. | khadi — beverage prepared from roots of the plants by natives of Transvaal |
| Lampranthus N.E.Br. | Gr. lampros bright, anthos flower |
| Lapidaria (Dinter et Schwantes) Schwantes ex N.E.Br. | Lat. lapis stone, “group of stones” |
| Leipoldtia L. Bolus | after Dr. C.L. Leipoldt |
| Lithops N.E.Br. | Gr. lithos stone, opsis like |
| Machairophyllum Schwantes | Gr. machaira sabre, phyllon leaf |
| Malephora N.E.Br. | Gr. male arm-hole, phorein to bear |
| Marlothistella Schwantes | after Rudolph Marloth |
| Mesembryanthemum L. | Gr. mes- middle, embry- embryo, anthemum flower |
| Mestoklema N.E.Br. ex Glen | Gr. mestos full, klema small branch (plants branch often) |
| Meyerophytum Schwantes | after Rev. G. Meyer, RSA |
| Mitrophyllum Schwantes | Gr. mitra bishop's cap, phyllon leaf |
| Monilaria (Schwantes) Schwantes | Lat. monile string of pearls |
| Mossia N.E.Br. | after K.E. Moss |
| Muiria N.E.Br. | after Dr. John Muir, plant collector, RSA |
| Namaquanthus L. Bolus | after Namaqualand |
| Namibia Dinter et Schwantes ex Schwantes | after Namib desert (country Namibia appeared long after publishing the genus) |
| Nananthus N.E.Br. | Gr. nanos dwarf, anthos flower |
| Nelia Schwantes | after Prof. G.C. Nel, Stellenbosch University, RSA |
| Neohenricia L. Bolus | after Dr. M. Henrici, RSA |
| Octopoma N.E.Br. | Gr. octo eight, poma lid (capsule structure) |
| Odontophorus N.E.Br. | Gr. odus tooth, phorus bearer |
| Oophytum N.E.Br. | Gr. oon egg, phyton plant |
| *Ophthalmophyllum Dinter et Schwantes | Gr. ophtalmos eye, phyllon leaf |
| Orthopterum L. Bolus | Gr. orthos erect, pteron wing (structure of capsule) |
| Oscularia Schwantes | Lat. osculum little mouth, “collection of little mouths” |
| Ottosonderia L. Bolus | after Otto Sonder, botanist of Kew Gerbarium, London |
| Peersia L. Bolus | after W.S. Peers, RSA |
| Phyllobolus N.E.Br. | Gr. phyllon leaf, bolos dying |
| Pleiospilos N.E.Br. | Gr. pleios many, spilos dots |
| Polymita N.E.Br. | Gr. poly many, mitos threads (structure of flower) |
| Prenia N.E.Br. | Gr. prenes prostrate (growing habit) |
| Prepodesma N.E.Br. | Gr. prepo shimmering, desme bundle (flower has bright stamens) |
| Psammophora Schwantes | Gr. psammos sand, phorus to carry |
| Psilocaulon N.E.Br. | Gr. psilos bare, kaulon stem |
| Rabiea N.E.Br. | after W.A. Rabie, RSA |
| Rhinephyllum N.E.Br. | Gr. rhine file, phyllon leaf |
| Rhombophyllum Schwantes | Gr. rhombos lozenge, phyllon leaf |
| Ruschia Schwantes | after Ernst Rusch, Namibia |
| Ruschianthemum Friedrich | after Ernst Rusch Jr., Namibia |
| Ruschianthus L. Bolus | after Ernst Rusch Jr., Namibia |
| Saphesia N.E.Br. | Gr. saphes distinct (capsule) |
| Sceletium N.E.Br. | Lat. sceletus sceleton |
| Schlechteranthus Schwantes | after M. Schlechter, RSA |
| Schwantesia Dinter non L. Bolus | after German botanist G. Schwantes |
| Scopelogena L. Bolus | Gr. scopelos rock, genos offspring |
| Skiatophytum L. Bolus | Gr. skias shade, phyton plant |
| Smicrostigma N.E.Br. | Gr. smicros little, stigma stigma |
| *Sphalmanthus N.E.Br. | Gr. sphalma error, anthos flower |
| Stayneria L. Bolus | W.F. Stayner, curator of Karoo Botanic Garden, Worcester |
| Stoeberia Dinter et Schwantes | after E. Stöber, Namibia |
| Stomatium Schwantes | Gr. stoma mouth |
| Synaptophyllum N.E.Br. | Gr. synaptos gnarled, phyllon leaf |
| Tanquana H.E.K Hartmann | after Tanqua Karoo |
| Titanopsis Schwantes | Gr. titanos chalk, opsis like |
| Trichodiadema Schwantes | Gr. trix hair, diadema crown (top of a leaf has bundle of hairs) |
| Vanheerdea L. Bolus ex H.E.K. Hartmann | after P. van Heerde |
| Vanzijlia L. Bolus | after Dorothy van Zijl |
| Vlokia S.A. Hammer | after Jan Vlok |
| Wooleya L. Bolus | after Major Wooley |
| Zeuktophyllum N.E.Br. | Gr. zeuktos connected, phyllon leaf |
Notes
- Most genera were published by N.E. Brown, G. Schwantes, L. Bolus and K. Dinter in first half of 20th century.
- Most names has Greek origin. Perhaps, most Latin word has been occupied by that time :)
- There are lot of names with -ari- suffix among Latin names: Corpuscularia, Fenestraria, Faucaria, Lapidaria, Monilaria, Oscularia. This suffix denotes collection, group of objects.
- Arenifera and Psammophora are both translated as “carring a sand”, however former is Latin, latter is Greek. Both plants has sticky leafs that sand sticks to.
- Many names are connected with mouths: Acrodon, Chasmatophyllum, Faucaria, Glottiphyllum, Oscularia, Odontophorus, Stomatium.
- K. Dinter named Schwantesia after G. Schwantes, and G. Schwantes named Dinteranthus after K. Dinter.
- There are two genera named after Emil Rusch jr.: Ruschianthus and Ruschianthemum; Ruschia was named after his father.
- Titanopsis doesn't look like titan.
Thanks to all who sent remarks and corrections.
Literature
- H.E.K. Hartmann (ed.) “Illustrated Handbook of Succulent Plants: Aizoaceae”, 2002.
- G. Schwantes, “Flowering Stones and Mid-day Flowers”, 1957.
- Smith et. al. “Mesembs of the World”, 1998.
© 2007 Ivan Boldyrev