M
M
- macr-
- large ("macranthus" = "large-flowered")
- macul-
- referring to a spot ("maculatus")
- magellan-
- referring to the area of the Straits of Maggellan ("magellanica")
- magn-
- big, magnificent ("magnificus" / "magnimama" = "big mama, actually mammary glands, the protuberances on a species of _Mammillaria_")
- maj-
- .major, larger ("major" / "majus")
- majal-
- referring to the month of May (flowering) ("majalis")
- malabar-
- referring to an area of India ("malabaricum")
- malac-
- soft (_Malacocarpus_ = "soft-fruited") ("malacodendron" = "soft + tree")
- malv-
- referring to the genus _Malva_, the Mallow ("malvacea")
- mamm-
- referring to breasts or nipples ("mammifera" = breast- "bearing breasts or nipples") (_Mammillaria_, a large genus of cactus, because all the bodies of the plants bear many nipple-like protuberances)
- manic-
- referring to a covering of dense hairs, a sleeve ("manicata")
- margin-
- referring to a margin ("marginalis")
- mariland-
- referring to Maryland ("marilandica")
- marin-
- referring to the sea "marinum")
- marit-
- referring to the seashore ("maritima")
- vmarm-
- marbled, marbled ("marmoratus" / "marmoreum")
- mas
- male - usually referring to robustness of the plant, rather than to the sex of the flowers
- maurit-
- referring to North Africa ("mauritania")
- maxim-
- largest ("maxima")
- maxil-
- referring to a jaw ("maxillaris)
- medul-
- referring to marrow, the center, the pith ("medullaris")
- mega-
- large ("megacarpa" = "large-fruited" / "megalanthus" = "large-flowered")
- mela-
- black (_Melaleuca_ = "black" (trunk) + "white" (branches)) mel- /
- mell-
- referring to honey ("melliodora" = "honey-scented") (_Melianthus_ = "honey flower")
- -meles
- referring to an apple, or any fruit (_Chaenomeles_ = "split" + "fruit")
- melo-
- referring to a melon ("meloformis" = "melon shaped")
- men-
- referring to a month and, by extension, the moon (_Menispermum_ = "moon seed")
- menisc-
- referring to a crescent ("meniscifolius" = "crescent- shaped foliage")
- -mer(...)
- referring to parts ("trimera" = "three parts")
- merid-
- referring to noon ("meridionalis" = "mid-day bloomer")
- mes-
- mixed, middle (_Mesembryanthemum_ = "mid-day flower")
- metr-
- referring to the center (heart) of an entity (_Metroxylon_ = "heartwood")
- mica-
- referring to mica, glittering ("micans")
- mille-
- referring to the number 1000 or a very large number ("millefolius" = "very many leaves")
- mim-
- referring to a mime (_Mimosa_, because of the closing up of the leaflets in many species - also _Mimulus_, because the flowers are supposedly similar to grinning faces - by extension, a monkey or an ape: _Mimusops_ = "like a monkey")
- minax
- forbidding, threatening (like thorns)
- miniat-
- of a reddish color ("miniata")
- minim-
- very small ("minimus") minor / minus......smaller
- minut-
- very small ("minutus")
- mirab-
- wonderful (_Mirabilis_, the Four-O'Clock genus)
- misc-
- .referring to a stem (_Miscanthus_ = "stem flower")
- mitis
- mild, gentle, unarmed
- mitr-
- referring to a turban, mitre ("mitrocarpus" = "mitre-shaped fruit")
- modest-
- modest, unaffected, usually means unadorned ("modesta")
- moldav-
- referring to Rumania ("moldavicus")
- moll-
- ndies ("moluccensis")
- mon-
- referring to the number one (_Monanthes_ = "single
-flowered") ("monophylla" = "one leaf")
- monil-
- referring to necklace ("monilifera" = "necklace-bearing")
- monst-
- monstrous, abnormal (_Monstera_, because of the unusual, cut leaves)
- mont-
- referring to a mountain ("montanus")
- monti-
- .referring to mts. ("monticolus")
- mor-
- referring to the genus _Morus_, the mulberry
- -mord(...)
- to bite (_Momordica_, referring to the appearance of the seeds)
- -morph(...)
- referring to form ("polymorpha" = "many forms" / "callimorphum = "beautifully-formed")
- mosch-
- referring to musk (odor) (_Moschosma_ = "musk-like odor" / "moschata")
- mucron-
- referring to a point (usually in shape of leaf) ("mucronatus")
- multi-
- many ("multiflora" = "many-flowered" / "multicaulis" = "many-trunked")
- munit-.
- referring to defense (with thorns, prickles, etc.) ("munitus")
- mura-
- referring to a wall ("muralis")
- muric-
- rough, knobby ("muricata") mus- / myos-.......referring to a mouse (_Myosotis_ = "mouse ear" - the Forget-Me-Not genus, in reference to the mousy leaves
- musc-
- referring to musk (_Muscari_, because of the musky odor of the flowers of _M. moschatum_) ALSO referring to a fly ("muscivorus" = "fly-eating")
- mutab-
- referring to change, variability ("mutabilis")
- mutic-
- blunt ("mutica")
- myr-
- .referring to myrrh (_Myristica_, the nutmeg genus, because of the odor)
- myri-
- numberless, too many to count, myriad (_Myriocephalus_ = "with a myriad of heads")
- myrmec-
- referring to ants ("myrmecophilus" = "beloved of ants")
- myrt-
- referring to the myrtle genus, _Myrtus_ (_Myrtillocactus_ = "myrtle-berried cactus") "myrtifolia" = "myrtle-leaved")
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