A Grammatical Dictionary of Botanical Latin

Draco,-onis (s.m.III), acc.sg. draconem, abl. sg. dracone, nom. & acc. pl. dracontes: a sort of snake or serpent, a dragon [> L. = Gk. drakWn, “a sort of serpent, a dragon = ophis, see ophi-, ophio-: in Gk. comp.; church Latin, the Serpent, the Devil (Lewis & Short)]; “a snake (usu. Of a non-venomous sort); (regarded as sacred, esp. as guardians of a treasure); the name of a constellation” (Glare)]; cf. serpens,-entis (s.c.III); see snake; see python,-onis (s.m.III).

epithet: as a noun in apposition:

- (Orchidaceae) Cleisostoma draco, Micropera draco, Sarcanthus draco

Dracontarium,-ii (s.n.II), abl. sg. dracontario: a garland or wreath twisted like a serpent.

Calamus Draco, “the resin called dragon's blood is obtained by wounding C. Draco” (Paxton).

Dracaena L. > Gk. drakaina, a female dragon; “the inspissated juice becomes a powder, like the dragon's-blood (Paxton); Dracaena Draco, Dragon-tree: “The substance called Gum Dragon, formerly used in medicine, is the juice of D. Draco”(Paxton). “The color ‘dragon’s blood’ can be obtained from D. draco, the dragon tree. At least one authority (Pulteney), however, suggests that the genus was named by Clusius in honor of Sir Francis Drake, whom he met in 1581 and from whom he received osme of his plant discoveries form the New World. He would naturally have regarded Drake as worth Commemorating” (Stearn 1996).

Dracocephalum, L. > Gk. drakon, a dragon, + kephale, head; the appearance of the heads of the flowers. Labiatae. (Paxton).

Dracontium, L. From drakon, a dragon; the stems are spotted like the skin of a snake (Paxton).

Dracophyllum, > Gk. drakon, a dragon, +phyllon, a leaf; the leaves resemble those of Dracaena Draco (Paxton).

Dracopis,-is (s.f.III) > Gk. drakon, a dragon, + opsis, appearance (Paxton).

Dracula,-ae; dim. of draco, dragon; “no association with Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Orchidaceae” (Stearn 1990).