A Grammatical Dictionary of Botanical Latin

Arabs, gen.sg. Arabis (adj.), nom.& acc. pl. Arabes, gen.pl. Arabum, dat. & abl.pl. Arabibus = Gk. araps, proceeding from Arabia, Arabian;

Subst.: an Arab, an Arabian; also Arabia (Lewis & Short).

NOTE: see Paxton for a guide to a long list of generic names derived from Arabian plant names.

- pastor arabs, an Arab herdsman or shepherd.

- messor Arabs, an Arab reaper.

- Arabum: gen.pl. of the noun Arabs, gen.sg. Arabis, of the arabs, of the Arabian people.

- Jasminum sive Sambach Arabum (Desf.), Jasminum or the Sambach of the Arabs.

- Lawsonia inermis = Alcanna Arabum [of the Arabs] (Desf.)

- Ushea ceratoides candicans = Ramalina arabum, Ach., “the true Usnea of the Arabs” (Dill.).

- [Saccharum ravennae] Planta pulcherrima. E culmis fistulas ad hauriendum tabaci fumum parant Arabes (Desf.), a most beautiful plant. From the culms the Arabs prepare pipes for sucking up the smoke of tobacco.

- [Arundo festucoides] Densissimo caespite crescit. Ex ejus foliis aqua maceratis funes ei varia opera textilia conficiunt Arabes (Desf.), it grows in the densest clump. The Arabs prepare from its leaves, softened in water, ropes of it and different textile works.

- [Coralloides corniculatum fasciculare tinctorium, Fuci teretis facie. Argol & Canary Weed Vulgo, Roccella, Orcella & Raspa Italis:]

Idem Hist. Lugd. Auctor ex Theveto scribit, Oriselle ab Arabibus ‘Sereth’ vocari, & coria ea herba eleganter tingi, ex Hispaniis eo delata. Quæ verba in nostro Theveti exemplari non occurrunt. Eadem transcripsit J. Bauhinus (Dill.),

the same author [of the Historia Lugdunensis ? (=Lyons)] writes that according to Thevetus, brought down to him by the Spanish, that Oriselle, is to be called by the Arabs ‘Sereth,’ and skins elegantly are to be dyed with this herb. These are words which do not occur in our copy of Thevetus. J. Bauhin has transcribed the same thing. [André Thevet]

- 'Cahve' (so he [Dillenius in Fourth Century, Academia Naturae Curiosorum] spells the word we know as Coffee) of the Arabians, where he gives the result of his own preparations made by roasting peas, beans, and kidney-beans, but says the product obtained from rye was the best, being with difficulty distinguished from the Arabian berry:” (Druce)

'De Cahve Arabico & Germano Europaeo egit Cent. iv, obs. 50, Secalino ex semine tosto grati saporis infusum paravit (Dill.), Concerning the Arabic and European German Cahve (coffee) debated in Century 4, observation 50, an infusion of an agreeable flavor [i.e. taste] prepared from toasted [i.e. parched] Secale seed.

- [Nerium oleander] Arabes ex ejus carbone pulverem pyrium conficiunt (Desf.), the Arabs prepare ‘pyrogenic powder’ [i.e. gunpowder] from the charred remains of this [sc. plant].

- [Ferula ferulago] Caules exsiccati et accensi lente uruntur et in usu sunt apud Arabes ad ignem servandum (Desf.), the stems, dried-out and lightly burned are kindled [so that it burns downward], and in practice [i.e. in usage] are, among the Arabes, reserved for fire.

Arabis,-idis (s.f.III), abl.sg. Arabide, Rock-Cress, Arabideae (Cruciferae) “name from the country, Arabia, according to Linnaeus” (Fernald 1950); “origin obscure” (Stearn 1996).

- semina 2-seriata in Nasturtio et in Arabidis speciebus quibusdam (B&H), the seeds are in two rows in Nasturtium and in certain species of Arabis.