A Grammatical Dictionary of Botanical Latin

Ceras,-atis (s.n.III), abl.sg. cerate; cerat-; cerato-; -ceras,-atis (s.n.III), abl. sg. -cerate; -ceratum,-i (s.n.II), abl.sg. -cerato; -ceratium,-ii (s.n.II) in Gk. comp.: -horn, -horned, horn-like projection, spur; (same as -centrus,-a,-um (adj.A); see centr-, centro-); “’horned one’ – in generic names of plants and animals” (WIII) [> Gk. keras, -atis (s.n.III), abl.sg. kerate: “the horn of an animal; hence ‘bone,’ as a material for working; anything made of bone, esp. a bow; a drinking-horn; an arm or branch of a river, so called from its shape; any projection or elevation, as a mountain-peak, horn” (Liddell & Scott)]; cf. L. cornu,-us (s.n.IV); see ceratium,-ii (s.n.II); cf. cerastes,-ae (s.m.I).

NOTE: the epithet of Adesmia aegiceras is a noun in apposition to the generic name Adesmia; also Aerangis brachyceras; Taraxacum brachyceras.

NOTE: –cera: Gk. noun comb. form: some nomenclatural words ending in -cera may derive from Gk. ‘keras,-atis,’ horn: “horned one: horned ones;” see ‘Cera, 2.’

NOTE: ceras,-atis (s.n.III) = Gk. Keras, a horn, in Latin “a kind of wild parsnip” (Lewis & Short).

- ceratocaulis,-e (adj.B): “with a stalk like a horn” (Stearn 1996).

Capsicum ceratocalyx M. Nee, with a horned calyx.

NOTE: [zoology] Triceratops,-opis (s.m.II): > Gk. tri-, three + cerat-, horn + ops gen.sg. ,opis, face, “Three-horned-face” (Cretaceous dinosaur), from the three horns on the skull; masculine gender (T. prorsus; T. horridus).

NOTE: Cerastium,-ii (s.m.II) > “Gk. kerastEs, ‘horned;’ in allusion to the horned seed capsule. Caryophyllaceae” (Stearn 1996); cf. Paxton: From keras, a horn; because many of the species have capsules like an ox's horn. Alsinaceae. (Paxton); cf. Fernald (1950) “alluding to the shape of the slender and often curved capsule.” Also Cerastes cornutus, the horned serpent, or asp. (Liddell & Scott).

NOTE: Lonicera L. Honeysuckle was named "in honor of Adam Lonitzer, latinized Lonicerus, a German herbalist of the 16th century" (Fernald, 1950).

NOTE: -ceros,-otis (s.m.III): in Gk. comp.; '-horned;' the ending –ceros,-otis derives from the Gk. adjective keroeis, -oessa contr. oussa, oen (keras) ‘horned’ (Liddell & Scott); see -ceros,-otis (s.m.III).

NOTE: the Latin adj. equivalent is -cornis,-e (adj.B), q.v., and -cornutus,-a,-um (adj.A); see -horned.

- brachyceras, with a short horn; diceras, two-horned; diploceras, with two horns; dolichoceras, with long spurs; tetraceras, 4-horned

NOTE: epithets with suffices in -ceras,-ceratis are neuter nouns in apposition.

- ceratophorus, bearing a horn; ceratophyllus, leaves like the upper part of a stag's horn (Paxton).

- [Ceratodon; moss] Ab keras [= L.] ‘cornu’ et odous, [= L.] ‘dens,’ inde quod peristomii dentes inflexione sua et trabeculis nodulosis caprae cornua referunt (C. Muell.), from keras, [horn] and odous, [tooth], thence, because the teeth of the peristome resemble, by its characteristic inflexion and the trabeculae [i.e. cross-bars] with little knobs resembling the horns of a goat.

1. Aceras,-atis (s.n.III), abl.sg. Acerate, A. angustifolium, A. floridanum, A. lanceum, A. anthropophorum; A. longicrure. NOTE: this genus has been erroneously treated as a feminine noun.

Aegiceras,-atis (s.n.III): From aix, aigos, a goat, and keras, a horn. Fruit. Myrsinaceae. (Paxton).

Botryceras,-atis (s.n.III); so called from botrys, a raceme, and keras, a horn; the horn-like raceme. Anacardiaceae (Paxton).

Carpoceras,-atis (s.n.III)(Martyniaceae).

Notoceras,-atis (s.n.III), abl. sg. -cerate, dorsal spur.

Octoceras,-atis (s.n.III) (Brassicaceae)

Pteroceras,-atis (s.n.III) phalaenopse (Schltr.) Garay

Xanthoceras,-atis (s.n.III), from the Greek words for yellow and horn, in allusion to the horn-like processes of the disk.

NOTE: Ceratiola,-ae (s.f.I), diminutive of the Greek ceras, horn,

NOTE: fossil genera in the family of the Rhinoceros (Rhinocerotidae): Teleoceras,-atis (s.n.III). Extant genus Ceratotherium. Also fossil Menoceras,-atis (s.n.III)

NOTE: derived from keras = -ceros,-otis, q.v.: Diceros, the name of a (fossil) Rhinoceros.

2. Aceratium,-ii (s.n.II), Decandolle. Derived from a, privative, and keras, a horn; implying that the anthers are destitute of horns. Tiliaceae (Paxton).

3. Diceratium (Brassicaceae).

Ceratium,-ii (s.n.II), abl. sg. ceratio: “(obsol.) what is usually called a ‘capsula siliquiformis.’ A long, slender, horn-like, one-celled, superior fruit, as in Hypecoum [Papaveraceae]” (Lindley)

4. Ceradia,-ae (s.f.I), Lindley. From keras, a horn, in allusion to the horned appearance of the branches. Asteraceae (Paxton).

Cerastium,-ii (s.n.II), Linn. From keras, a horn; because many of the species have capsules like an ox's horn. Alsinaceae. (Paxton)

Ceratochloa. From keras, a horn, and chloa, grass; in reference to the seeds having three little horns. Graminaceae (Paxton).

Ceratodactylus, Smith. From keras, a horn, and dactylos, a finger; division of fronds. Polypodiaceae. (Paxton).

Ceratophyllum,-i (s.n.II), Hornwort > Gk. keras, ‘horn + phyllon, a leaf; “from the antler-like appearance of the leaves of these submerged plants.” (Stearn 1996).

Ceratonia,-ae (s.f.I) > Gk. keratOnia, “the name of the carob, from Gk. keras, ‘horn,’ in allusion to the pods. “The seeds were used as weihts and from them derives the ‘carat,’ the jeweller’s weight for gold and precious stones. Leguminosae” (Stearn 1996).

Ceratophyllaeae, or Hornworts. Small herbs found in the ditches of temperate climates (Paxton).

Ceratophyllum, Linn. From keras, a horn, and phyllon, a leaf; the petals are cut so as to appear like a stag's horn. Ceratophyllaceae (Paxton); “from the three-forked and narrow divisions of the leaves” (Fernald 1950).

Ceratopteris, Brongn. From kerras, a horn, and pteris, a fern ; horn-like form of divisions of fronds. Polypodiaceae. (Paxton)

Ceratosanthes, Jussieu. From keras, a horn, and anthos, a flower; referring to the inner segments. Cucurbitaceae.

Ceratospermum, Persoon. From keras, a horn, and spermum, a seed; form of seeds. Chenopodiaceae. (Paxton)

Ceratostema,-atis (s.n.III). From keras, a horn, and stema, a stamen. The anthers are spurred. Vacciniaceae (Paxton).

Ceratostigma,-atis (s.n.III), > Gk. keras, ‘horn + stigma; “from the hornlike excrescence on the stigma of the flower” (Stearn 1996) (Plumbaginaceae).

Ceratozamia,-ae (s.f.I), > Gk. keras, ‘horn + the generic name Zamia, “which it resembles except for the cones with horned scales. Zamiaceae (Stearn 1996).