A Grammatical Dictionary of Botanical Latin

hydr-, hydro-: in Gk. comp., 'water' [> Gk. hydOr [Gk. (h)udor), gen. sg. hydatos (s.n.III) water of any kind]; = hygr-, hygro- in Gk. comp., q.v.; = Latin aqu-, aqui-, q.v.; see water-;

NOTE: opp. Gk. chylus,-i (s.m.II), q.v., abl.sg. chylo, the juices of plants and animals.

Hydrogen (Eng.noun) > Gk. hydro, ‘water’ + genes ‘forming, producing,’ in allusion to its producing water when burned in air.

- hydrophilus, water-loving, growing in water.

- hydrophobicus, fearing, dreading, avoiding or fleeing water.

- hydrophyton,-i (s.n.II), water-loving or aquatic plant.

Hydrangea,-ae (s.f.I) L. "hydOr, water and aggeion, a vessel, in allusion to the shape of the 15-ribbed capsule;” “the fruit of these shrubs is cup-shaped” (Stearn 1996).

Hydrastele (s.f.) > Gk. hydOr, water + stElE, a column, “in the wild the trees are often near water. Palmae” (Stearn 1996).

Hydrilla,-ae (s.f.I): “said to be probably an ill-formed diminutive of ‘hydra,’ water serpent. A widely distributed aquatic plant. Hydrocharitaceae” (Stearn 1996).

Hydrocharis,-itis (s.f.III) > Gk. hydOr, water + charis, grace. Hydrocharitaceae” (Stearn 1996).

Hydrocleys (s.f.) Water-poppy. > Gk. hydOr, water + kleis, a key. There is no clear reason for this allusion. Limnocharitaceae” (Stearn 1996).

Hydrocotyle L., Water pennywort. "from hydOr, water, and cotyle, a flat cup, the peltate leaves of several species being somewhat cup-shaped" (Fernald 1950); “from the form of the leaves in H. vulgaris. Umbelliferae” (Stearn 1996)..

Hydrolea L. > Gk. hydOr, water + L. olea (Gk. elaia) olive; “from its habitat near water and some resemblance of the leaves of H. spinosa to those of the olive. Hydrophyllaceae” (Stearn 1996); 'Name unexplained, doubtless in part from the Greek hydOr, water, in allusion to the aquatic habitat' (Fernald 1950).

Hydrolmystria (s.f.I): Gk. hydOr, water + mystrion, a little spoon; in allusion to the leaves. Hydrocharitaceae” (Stearn 1996).

Hydropeltis (Cabombaceae) = Brasenia schreberi ‘watershield’ (+ pelta,-ae (s.f.I), ‘a round shield’).

Hydrophyllum L. from hydOr, water and phyllon, leaf 'the original species with very watery stems and petioles' (Fernald 1950).

NOTE: Hydrastis (s.f.III), “name suggested by the leaf of Hydrophyllum canadense, with which this plant was early confused” (Fernald 1950).

Vasa hydrogena (adj.A), abl.pl. vasis hydrogenis: “the spiral threads inside a spiral vessel; formerly supposed to be tubes conveying fluid” (Lindley) [> [> vasa,-orum (nom.& gen.pl. of vas, gen.sg. vasis (s.n.III), q.v., vessel, receptacle].