List of plant genus names with etymologies (D–K)
This is a list of plant genus names, covering the range D through K, along with explanations of their etymologies. The genus name is followed by its family (in parentheses), then the approximate origin and meaning of the name. In many cases, the etymology is derived from Latin or Greek roots, often descriptive of the plant's characteristics, habitat, or in honor of a botanist or other person.
Daboecia (Ericaceae): Named after Saint Dabeoc, an Irish saint.
Dahlia (Asteraceae): Named in honor of Anders Dahl, a Swedish botanist.
Danae (Asparagaceae): Named after Danaë, a figure in Greek mythology.
Daphne (Thymelaeaceae): Named after Daphne, a nymph in Greek mythology who was transformed into a laurel tree.
Darlingtonia (Sarraceniaceae): Named in honor of William Darlington, an American physician, botanist, and politician.
Davidia (Nyssaceae): Named in honor of Père Armand David, a French missionary and naturalist who collected the first specimen.
Decaisnea (Lardizabalaceae): Named in honor of Joseph Decaisne, a French botanist.
Delonix (Fabaceae): From the Greek delos (conspicuous) and onyx (claw), referring to the prominent claws of the petals.
Delphinium (Ranunculaceae): From the Greek delphinion, meaning "dolphin," referring to the shape of the nectary spur.
Dendranthema (Asteraceae): From the Greek dendron (tree) and anthemon (flower), referring to the shrubby or tree-like habit of some species (now mostly classified under Chrysanthemum).
Dendrobium (Orchidaceae): From the Greek dendron (tree) and bios (life), referring to the epiphytic habit of many species, growing on trees.
Deschampsia (Poaceae): Named in honor of Louis Auguste Deschamps, a French botanist.
Deutzia (Hydrangeaceae): Named in honor of Johan van Deutz, a Dutch patron of botany.
Dianthus (Caryophyllaceae): From the Greek dios (divine) and anthos (flower), meaning "divine flower" or "flower of the gods."
Dicentra (Papaveraceae): From the Greek dis (twice) and kentron (spur), referring to the two spurs on the flower.
Digitalis (Plantaginaceae): From the Latin digitus (finger), referring to the flower's resemblance to a finger stall.
Dimorphotheca (Asteraceae): From the Greek di (two), morphos (form), and theke (case), referring to the two forms of achenes (seeds) in some species.
Dionaea (Droseraceae): Possibly derived from Dione, mother of Aphrodite in Greek mythology.
Dioscorea (Dioscoreaceae): Named in honor of Pedanius Dioscorides, an ancient Greek physician and botanist.
Diospyros (Ebenaceae): From the Greek dios (divine) and pyros (grain or fruit), meaning "divine fruit" or "fruit of the gods."
Dipelta (Caprifoliaceae): From the Greek di (two) and pelte (shield), referring to the two bracts that enclose the fruit.
Dodecatheon (Primulaceae): From the Greek dodeka (twelve) and theoi (gods), possibly referring to the "flowers of the twelve gods".
Doronicum (Asteraceae): Of obscure origin, possibly named after Doronich, an apothecary.
Draba (Brassicaceae): From the Greek drabe, a name used by Dioscorides for a type of cress.
Dracaena (Asparagaceae): From the Greek drakaina (female dragon), referring to the red resin of some species, resembling dragon's blood.
Drosera (Droseraceae): From the Greek droseros (dewy), referring to the glistening droplets on the leaves.
Dryas (Rosaceae): Named after the dryads, tree nymphs in Greek mythology, and because it is often found growing in dry, mountainous habitats.
Dryopteris (Dryopteridaceae): From the Greek drys (oak) and pteris (fern), referring to the oak-like habitat of some species, or the oak-leaf shape.
Eccremocarpus (Bignoniaceae): From the Greek ekremes (pendulous) and karpos (fruit), referring to the hanging fruits.
Echinacea (Asteraceae): From the Greek echinos (hedgehog), referring to the spiny central cone of the flower head.
Echinops (Asteraceae): From the Greek echinos (hedgehog) and ops (appearance), referring to the spiny flower heads.
Edgeworthia (Thymelaeaceae): Named in honor of Michael Pakenham Edgeworth, an Irish botanist and official in the East India Company.
Elaeagnus (Elaeagnaceae): From the Greek elaia (olive) and agnos (chaste tree), possibly referring to the olive-like appearance of the fruits.
Elodea (Hydrocharitaceae): From the Greek elodes (marshy), referring to the plant's aquatic habitat.
Empetrum (Ericaceae): From the Greek empetron, a name used by Dioscorides for this plant, meaning "growing on rocks".
Epacris (Ericaceae): From the Greek epi (upon) and akris (peak), referring to the plant's preference for growing on elevated or rocky ground.
Epifagus (Orobanchaceae): From the Greek epi (upon) and fagus (beech), referring to the parasitic nature of the plant, growing on beech trees.
Epigaea (Ericaceae): From the Greek epi (upon) and gaia (earth), referring to the creeping habit of the plant.
Epimedium (Berberidaceae): Of uncertain origin; possibly a corruption of the Greek epimedion, a name used by Pliny for a plant with similar medicinal properties.
Epipactis (Orchidaceae): From the Greek epi (upon) and paktes (to acquire), referring to the belief that this orchid could curdle milk.
Erica (Ericaceae): From the Greek ereike, the name used by Theophrastus for heath.
Erigeron (Asteraceae): From the Greek eri (early) and geron (old man), referring to the early flowering and white pappus (bristle-like hairs) that resemble an old man's beard.
Eriobotrya (Rosaceae): From the Greek erion (wool) and botrys (cluster), referring to the woolly clusters of flowers and fruit.
Erodium (Geraniaceae): From the Greek erodios (heron), referring to the beak-like shape of the seed capsule.
Eryngium (Apiaceae): From the Greek eryngion, a name used by Dioscorides for a prickly plant.
Erysimum (Brassicaceae): From the Greek erysimon, a name used by Dioscorides for a plant that blistered the skin.
Erythronium (Liliaceae): From the Greek erythros (red), referring to the red flowers of some species.
Eucalyptus (Myrtaceae): From the Greek eu (well) and kalyptos (covered), referring to the operculum (lid) that covers the flower buds.
Euonymus (Celastraceae): From the Greek eu (good) and onyma (name), possibly referring to a plant with a good reputation, or ironically, as eu-onymos can also mean "ill-reputed".
Eupatorium (Asteraceae): Named in honor of Mithridates VI Eupator, King of Pontus, who is said to have used a species of this genus medicinally.
Euphorbia (Euphorbiaceae): Named in honor of Euphorbus, physician to King Juba II of Numidia.
Exochorda (Rosaceae): From the Greek exo (outside) and chorda (cord), referring to the peeling bark of the stems.
Fagus (Fagaceae): From the Latin fagus, the classical name for beech.
Fallopia (Polygonaceae): Named in honor of Gabriel Fallopius, an Italian anatomist and botanist.
Fatsia (Araliaceae): Derived from the Japanese word "fatsi" (eight), referring to the number of lobes on the leaves of Fatsia japonica.
Festuca (Poaceae): From the Latin festuca, meaning "stalk" or "stem of grass".
Foeniculum (Apiaceae): From the Latin foenum (hay), possibly referring to the hay-like odor of the leaves.
Forsythia (Oleaceae): Named in honor of William Forsyth, a Scottish botanist and superintendent of the Royal Gardens of Kensington.
Fothergilla (Hamamelidaceae): Named in honor of John Fothergill, an English physician and botanist.
Fragaria (Rosaceae): From the Latin fraga (strawberry), derived from fragrans (fragrant).
Fraxinus (Oleaceae): From the Latin fraxinus, the classical name for ash.
Fritillaria (Liliaceae): From the Latin fritillus (dice box), referring to the checkered pattern on the flowers of some species.
Fuchsia (Onagraceae): Named in honor of Leonhart Fuchs, a German botanist and physician.
Gaillardia (Asteraceae): Named in honor of Gaillard de Charentonneau, an 18th-century French magistrate and patron of botany.
Galanthus (Amaryllidaceae): From the Greek gala (milk) and anthos (flower), meaning "milk-white flower".
Galega (Fabaceae): From the Greek gala (milk) and ega (to bring on), referring to the plant's supposed ability to increase milk production in livestock.
Galium (Rubiaceae): From the Greek gala (milk), referring to the use of some species to curdle milk.
Gaultheria (Ericaceae): Named in honor of Jean François Gaultier, a French-Canadian physician and botanist.
Gazania (Asteraceae): Named in honor of Theodore Gaza, a 15th-century translator of Theophrastus.
Genista (Fabaceae): Derived from the Latin genista, the name used by Virgil for broom.
Gentiana (Gentianaceae): Named in honor of Gentius, an Illyrian king who is said to have discovered the medicinal properties of gentian.
Geranium (Geraniaceae): From the Greek geranos (crane), referring to the beak-like shape of the seed capsule.
Geum (Rosaceae): From the Latin geum, a name used by Pliny for a plant with a fragrant root.
Gilia (Polemoniaceae): Named in honor of Felipe Salvadore Gil, a Spanish botanist.
Ginkgo (Ginkgoaceae): Derived from the Japanese ginkyo, meaning "silver apricot."
Gladiolus (Iridaceae): From the Latin gladius (sword), referring to the sword-shaped leaves.
Gleditsia (Fabaceae): Named in honor of Johann Gottlieb Gleditsch, a German botanist.
Globularia (Plantaginaceae): From the Latin globulus (small globe), referring to the spherical shape of the flower heads.
Gloriosa (Colchicaceae): From the Latin gloriosus (glorious), referring to the showy flowers.
Glycine (Fabaceae): From the Greek glykys (sweet), referring to the sweet taste of some species (although this is not true of all species).
Gunnera (Gunneraceae): Named in honor of Johan Ernst Gunnerus, a Norwegian botanist and bishop.
Gypsophila (Caryophyllaceae): From the Greek gypsos (gypsum) and philos (loving), referring to the plant's preference for growing in gypsum-rich soils.
Haberlea (Gesneriaceae): Named in honor of Karl Konstantin Haberle, a Hungarian botanist.
Hakonechloa (Poaceae): Named after Hakone, a mountainous region in Japan, and chloa, meaning "grass".
Halimium (Cistaceae): From the Greek halimos (sea purslane), referring to the plant's resemblance to Halimione portulacoides.
Hamamelis (Hamamelidaceae): From the Greek hama (at the same time) and melon (fruit), referring to the fact that the plant flowers and bears fruit at the same time.
Hebe (Plantaginaceae): Named after Hebe, the Greek goddess of youth.
Hedera (Araliaceae): From the Latin hedera, the classical name for ivy.
Hedychium (Zingiberaceae): From the Greek hedys (sweet) and chion (snow), referring to the sweet fragrance and white color of the flowers of some species.
Helianthemum (Cistaceae): From the Greek helios (sun) and anthemon (flower), meaning "sun flower".
Helianthus (Asteraceae): From the Greek helios (sun) and anthos (flower), meaning "sun flower".
Helichrysum (Asteraceae): From the Greek helios (sun) and chrysos (gold), referring to the golden color of the flower heads.
Helleborus (Ranunculaceae): From the Greek hellebore, a name used by Dioscorides for this plant.
Hemerocallis (Asphodelaceae): From the Greek hemera (day) and kallos (beauty), meaning "beauty for a day", referring to the short lifespan of the flowers.
Hepatica (Ranunculaceae): From the Greek hepar (liver), referring to the liver-shaped leaves.
Heptacodium (Caprifoliaceae): From the Greek hepta (seven) and kodion (head), referring to the seven flowers in each flower head.
Heracleum (Apiaceae): Named after Heracles (Hercules), referring to the plant's large size.
Hesperis (Brassicaceae): Named after Hesperus, the evening star, referring to the fact that the flowers are often fragrant in the evening.
Heuchera (Saxifragaceae): Named in honor of Johann Heinrich von Heucher, an 18th-century German physician and botanist.
Hibiscus (Malvaceae): From the Greek hibiskos, a name used by Dioscorides for a species of mallow.
Hippeastrum (Amaryllidaceae): From the Greek hippos (horse) and astron (star), possibly referring to the star-shaped flowers.
Holboellia (Lardizabalaceae): Named in honor of Frederik Ludvig Holbøll, a Danish botanist.
Hosta (Asparagaceae): Named in honor of Nicholas Thomas Host, an Austrian botanist.
Houttuynia (Saururaceae): Named in honor of Maarten Houttuyn, a Dutch naturalist and physician.
Hydrangea (Hydrangeaceae): From the Greek hydor (water) and angeion (vessel), referring to the cup-shaped fruit capsules or the plant's need for water.
Hydrocotyle (Apiaceae): From the Greek hydor (water) and kotyle (cup), referring to the plant's preference for wet habitats and the cup-shaped leaves.
Hylotelephium (Crassulaceae): From the Greek hyle (woodland) and telephium (a historical name for a similar plant).
Hyoscyamus (Solanaceae): From the Greek hyos (hog) and kyamos (bean), referring to the plant's poisonous nature to pigs (though not exclusively).
Hypericum (Hypericaceae): From the Greek hyper (above) and eikon (image), referring to the practice of hanging the plant above images to ward off evil spirits.
Hypoestes (Acanthaceae): From the Greek hypo (under) and estia (house), referring to the bracts that enclose the flowers.
Iberis (Brassicaceae): Named after the Iberian Peninsula (Spain and Portugal), where many species are native.
Ilex (Aquifoliaceae): From the Latin ilex, the classical name for holm oak (related in leaf appearance).
Illicium (Schisandraceae): From the Latin illicio (to entice), referring to the plant's attractive fragrance.
Impatiens (Balsaminaceae): From the Latin impatiens (impatient), referring to the explosive seed dispersal.
Incarvillea (Bignoniaceae): Named in honor of Pierre Nicholas Le Chéron d'Incarville, a French Jesuit missionary and botanist.
Indigofera (Fabaceae): From the Latin indigo (indigo dye) and fera (bearing), referring to the source of indigo dye.
Inula (Asteraceae): Of uncertain origin, possibly derived from the Latin enula, the name used by Pliny for a similar plant.
Ipomoea (Convolvulaceae): From the Greek ips (wormwood) and homoios (similar), possibly referring to the plant's winding habit or resemblance to wormwood.
Iris (Iridaceae): Named after Iris, the Greek goddess of the rainbow.
Isatis (Brassicaceae): From the Greek isatis, a name used by Dioscorides for a plant used to produce blue dye.
Itea (Iteaceae): From the Greek itea, the classical name for willow, possibly referring to the plant's similar appearance.
Jasminum (Oleaceae): From the Persian yasmin, meaning "gift from God".
Jeffersonia (Berberidaceae): Named in honor of Thomas Jefferson, the third President of the United States, who was also a keen botanist.
Juglans (Juglandaceae): From the Latin Jovis glans (Jupiter's acorn), meaning "nut of Jupiter" or "royal nut."
Juncus (Juncaceae): From the Latin juncus, the classical name for rush.
Juniperus (Cupressaceae): From the Latin juniperus, the classical name for juniper.
Justicia (Acanthaceae): Named in honor of James Justice, a Scottish horticulturist.
Kalmia (Ericaceae): Named in honor of Pehr Kalm, a Swedish-Finnish botanist and explorer.
Kerria (Rosaceae): Named in honor of William Kerr, a Scottish botanist and plant collector.
Knautia (Caprifoliaceae): Named in honor of Christoph Knaut and Christian Knaut, two German botanists.
Kniphofia (Asphodelaceae): Named in honor of Johann Hieronymus Kniphof, a German physician and botanist.
Koelreuteria (Sapindaceae): Named in honor of Joseph Gottlieb Kölreuter, a German botanist who pioneered research on plant hybridization.