A Grammatical Dictionary of Botanical Latin

ur-, uro-; -uris,-idis (s.f.III), -uros,-i (s.m.II), -urus,-i (s.m.II); -urus,-a,-um (adj.A): in Gk. comp. tail-, -tailed, i.e. with an elongated or tail-like appendage, such as a spike; -ura,-ae (s.f.I); pl. -ura,-urorum (pl.n.II): from fem. sg. and neut. plural of -urus,-a,-um (adj.A): one having a specific tail (Chelura,-ae (s.f.I)); ones having such a tail; -oura,-ourorum (n.pl.II): in zoological nomenclature, a variant of -ura,-urorum (n.pl.II), as in Anoura,-ourorum [also Anura,-urorum], syn. of Salientia,-tiorum, an order of Amphibia including frogs, toads that have no tail as adults (WIII); [> Gk. our-, ouro-, from oura (s.f.I): the tail, the hinder or after part(s) of anything, the rear, the stern of a ship; = L. cauda,-ae (s.f.I)];

- anthurus,-i (s.m.II), abl.sg. anthuro: “(obsol.) an inflorescence consisting of a cluster of flowers at the end of a long stalk” (Lindley); “a cluster of flowers at the end of a long stalk” (Jackson) [> Gk. anthos, flower + oura, tail].

- uromorphus,-a,-um (adj.A): tail-shaped; urophyllus, tail-leaved, i.e. with leaves having an elongated tip; urosepalus, with tailed or appendaged sepals.

- brachyurus,-a,-um (adj.A), with a short tail; macrurus, with a large tail [note elision here of the -o- connecting vowel]; myosurus, like or with the tail of a mouse, q.v.;

- leonurus,-a,-um (adj.A): like a lion’s tail (Stearn 1996).

- myuros,-i (s.m.II), abl. sg. myuro, mouse-tail.

The epithet myuros (adj.A), 'mouse-tail,' in Vulpia myuros, appears to be a noun in apposition.

Anthurium,-ii (s.n.II) > Gk. anthos, a flower + oura, a tail; “in allusion to the tail-like spadix of these foliage plants. Araceae” (Stearn 1996).

Brachyura,-urorum (pl.n.II), Xiphosura,-urorum (pl.n.III); generic name Xiphosurus,-i (s.m.II), abl. sg. Xiphosuro, sword-tail; in taxonomic names in zoology, creatures having a certain or specified kind of tail or posterior (caudal) appendage (WIII)[> Gk. our-, ouro-, from oura (s.f.I): the tail, the hinder part of anything, the rear; L. cauda,-ae (s.f.I)]; Iguanura palmuncula, lizar’s tail.

“Crabs are decapod crustaceans of the infraorder Brachyura, which typically have a very short projecting "tail" (abdomen) (Greek: βραχύς, romanized: brachys = short, + οὐρά / οura = tail), usually hidden entirely under the thorax” [Wikipedia, "Crab" Sept 2020].

Hippuris > [s.f.III] gen.sg. -uris Mare's-tail > Gk. "meaning horse-tailed, from hippos, a horse, and oura, a tail, applied to a water plant" (Fernald 1950);

Leonurus,-i (s.m.II), Lion's-tail, leon, a lion, and oura, tail; Lepturus,-i (s.m.II), Slender-tail, leptos, slender + oura, a tail or spike a grass;

Myosurus,-i (s.m.II), Myosuro, Mousetail, the achenes "crowded on a very long and slender spike-like receptacle (whence the name ..." > Gk. myos, of a mouse, and oura, a tail (Fernald 1950);

Myurium Schp. myouros (myouros + Gk. dim. -ium) mouse-tailed, alluding to the julaceous branches (of a moss);

Pholiurus,-i (s.m.II), pholis, scale and oura, tail or spike;

Saururus,-i (s.m.II), abl. sg. Saururo, from the flowers "crowded in a slender virgate and naked-peduncled terminal spike or raceme" > Gk. sauros, a lizard + oura, a tail (Fernald 1950);

Sciurus,-i (s.m.II), abl. sg. sciuro: the squirrel from Greek skiouros (s.m.II) > skia, shadow + oura tail; Scorpiurus (s.f.II) from Gk. scorpios, a scorpion + oura, a tail, in allusion to the shape of the pods.

Myurella B. & S. "diminutive of Latin myurus, a mouse-tail, from the form of the branches" Dixon (1924);

Myurocladium,-ii (s.n.II), > Gk mys, mouse + oura, tail, + clados, twig, + the dim. -ium, i.e. a small version of Myuroclada, from the branches resembling mouse tails.

Family: Hippuridaceae.