A Grammatical Dictionary of Botanical Latin

arct-, arcto-: in Gk. comp. bear-; north- [> L. arctos, gen. sg. arctoi, acc. sg. arctum, nom. pl. arctoe (s.f.II), ‘the Great and the Lesser Bear (Ursa Major et Minor) > Gk. arktos (s.f.II), a bear, the constellation Ursa Major; the region of the bear, the North]; see bear.

Arctoa Br. & Sch.: a genus of mosses found only in northern latitudes;

Arctium L., Burdock, “Greek plant-name, arction, from arctos, a bear; from the rough involucre” (Fernald 1950);

Arctotis (s.f.III), > Gk. arktos, a bear + ous, gen. sg. otos, an ear. “The scales of the pappus are supposed to look like the ears of a bear. Compositae.” (Stearn 1996);

Arctostaphylos Adans., Bearberry, “Name composed of the Greek arctos, a bear, and staphyle, a bunch of grapes, the Greek of the popular name” (Fernald 1950).

NOTE: arctos, (s.f. irreg. second), acc. sg. arcton nom. pl. arctoe, “the Great and the Lesser Bear, i.e. Ursa Major et Minor; syn: ursa, a double constellation in the vicinity of the north pole (Lewis & Short): ‘the north pole’, also, ‘the people dwelling in the north’ such as the Russian people; also the north wind].