Home > Community > What does the root "phyllum" mean used botanical binomial nomenclature
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Posted by
Ken Westmoreland

What does the root "phyllum" mean used botanical binomial nomenclature

Carolyn Barnett  Follow

Binomial names often use of greek words. Phyllum means -- as you correctly stated -- "leaf", but is not derived from latin but from the greek φύλλον, 'phyllon'.

By the way, there are also lots of examples where the latin word 'folium' is used. To stick with the genus Acer from your example, there is another species named Acer gracilifolium. So don't be confused by the linguistic chaos in binomial nomenclature.

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Charles Danley  Follow

Phyllum is used to refer leaf in Botanical nomenclature. How the word "Phyllum" is derived is not known.

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Evan McSally  Follow
Doesn't the existing answer already explain it? Why do you say it is not known?More
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