A Grammatical Dictionary of Botanical Latin

mon-, mono-: in Gk. comp., one-, “in Gk. comp. = ‘one’ (Lindley); “in compound words signifying ‘single” (Stearn 1996) [> Gk. monos, one; alone; single]; in L. comp., uni-, “one-;” cf. L. solus, sola, solum (irregular adj.A): alone, lone, only, the only, the sole, single; see uni-;

NOTE: this combining form appears to be acceptable for Latin combinations as well, as in monoverticillatus (WIII); “prefix meaning one, or of one” (Fernald 1950);

- [Linnaean classes] Classis 1. Monandria,-ae (s.f.I), flowers with one stamen in each flower[> Gk. monos, ‘one,’ + anEr, gen.sg. andros (s.m.III) man + -ia,-ae (s.f.I]).

- monadelphus, with filaments or stamens united in one structure; monandrus, with one stamen; monantherus, with one anther; monanthus, one-flowered; monaxialis, having single axial filament.

- monocephalus, with one head; monochlamydeus, with one kind of perigon; monochrous, of a single color; monogynus, with one style or carpel; monopetalus, having petals joined in one, gamopetalous; monophyllus, q.v., one-leaved; monopterus, having one wing; monopyrenus, having one stone (pyrene); monospermus, one-seeded; monostachys, with a single spike; monosiphonus, consisting of one continuous tube; monostichus, arranged in one row; monotypicus, with only one member (Stearn).

- [Monorchis] Monorchidis nomine hanc plantam insignivimus, quod unico tantum constet bulbulo, seu testiculo, ‘monos’ enim apud Graecos est solus; ‘orchis’ vero testiculum denotat (Mich.), we [i.e. I] have distinguished this plant by the name of “Monorchis,” because it may consist only of a single bulbule [i.e. bulblet], or testicle, for ‘monos’ is among the Greeks ‘solus’ [= L. only alone, single; the sole] but in fact ‘orchis’ indicates a testicle.

NOTE: amph-, amphi-: in Gk. comp., around, double, on both sides, of two kinds e.g. amphitrichiatus,-a,-um (adj.A): amphitrichous, having one flagellum at each pole; cf. monotrichiatus,-a,-um (adj.A), flagellate at one pole.

Juniperus monosperma, a tree with one seed in the fruit.