A Grammatical Dictionary of Botanical Latin

herpet-, herpeto-: in Gk. comp. snake-, snake-like; “partly from Gk. herpeton, animal that goes on all fours, snake, from neut. of herpetos, ‘creeping,’ from herpein, to creep; partly from L. herpet-, herpes, ‘herpes’ (also, a kind of animal, probably a snake” (WIII) [> Gk. (h)erpeton (s.n.II), that which creeps, a reptile, such as a snake (note: also a mouse) > (h)erpO, to creep, crawl, =. Lat. repens, q.v., serpens, q.v.]; see serpent; see snake; see herp-, herpo-:

NOTE: compounds in ‘herp-, or herpet-‘ may indicate (1) the disease Herpes, q.v., (2) flexuose, serpentine (Herpetineuron, in reference to the costa) or (3) creeping (as a root, vine, branch, etc.).

- herpetocladus, with snakelike [flexuose] branches; herpetorrhizus, with snake-like [creeping] roots.

- herpetologia,-ae (s.f.I) herpetology, “a branch of zoology that treats of reptiles and amphibians” (WIII).

Herpetacanthus (Acanthaceae)

Herpetium (Lepidoziaceae)

Herpetineuron, a genus of mosses, alludes to the flexuose or snake-like midrib in the leaf.

Herpetophytum, an orchid genus with creeping rhizomes; Anathallis herpetophyton (Orchidaceae).