| Name |
Pronunciation |
Meaning |
| Acamptopappus | a-kamp-to-PAP-pus | From the Greek akamptos (stiff) and pappos (pappus) |
| Acanthomintha | a-kan-tho-MINTH-uh | From the Greek acantha (thorn) and mentha (mint) |
| Achyrachaena | a-ky-ra-KAY-nuh | From Greek and Latin for a chaffy achene; alluding to the pappus |
| Achyronychia | ak-ky-ro-NIK-ee-uh | From the Greek achyr (chaff) and onyx (claw); refers to the chaffy calyx |
| Adolphia | ad-OL-fee-uh | Named for Adolphe Brongniart, 19th century scientist; a founder of modern paleobotany, he helped prove that pollen existed |
| Agoseris | a-go-SER-iss | The Greek name for goat chicory |
| Alhagi | AL-hag-ee | From the Arabic name for pilgrim |
| Allophyllum | al-low-FIL-lum | From the Greek allos (diverse) and phyllon (leaf) |
| Amblyopappus | am-blee-yo-PAP-pus | From the Greek amblus (blunt) and pappos (pappus) |
| Ammannia | am-MAH-nee-uh | Named for Paul Ammann, 17th century German botanist |
| Ammobroma | am-MO-bro-muh | From the Greek ammos (sand) and broma (food) |
| Ammoselinum | am-mo-sel-EE-num | From the Greek ammos (sand) and Selinum (an old name genus for the carrot family) |
| Amphipappus | am-fee-PAP-pus | From the Greek amphi (double) and pappos (pappus) |
| Amsinckia | am-SING-kee-uh | Named for Wilhelm Amsinck, 19th century patron of a botanical garden in Hamburg |
| Ancistrocarphus | an-siss-tro-KAR-fus | From the Greek ancistr (fish hook; barbed) and karphos (something light and dry, like chaff) |
| Anisocoma | an-is-oh-KOH-muh | From the Greek anisos (unequal) and kome (tuft of hair); refers to the 2 unequal sets of pappus bristles |
| Anulocaulis | an-yoo-loh-KAW-liss | Latin for ring-stem, referring to the sticky internodal rings |
| Apiastrum | ap-ee-ASS-trum | From the Latin apium (celery) and aster (wild) |
| Arceuthobium | ar-kew-THO-bee-um | From the Greek arkeuthos (juniper) and bios (life) |
| Arctomecon | ark-to-MEE-kon | From the Greek arktos (bear) and mekon (poppy); refers to the hairiness of this poppy |
| Athysanus | a-thy-SAN-us | Without fringe; refers to the wingless fruits |
| Atrichoseris | a-try-KO-ser-iss | From the Greek athrix (without hair) and Seris (the genus) |
| Ayenia | ay-YEN-ee-uh | Named for Louis de Noailles, 18th century Duke of Ayen |
| alberti | al-BER-tee | Named for Albert von Regel, 19th century botanist and explorer in Central Asia |
| Acrodon | AK-ro-don | From the Greek akros (terminal) and odontes (tooth) |
| Alberta | al-BER-tuh | Named for Albert von Regel, 19th century botanist and explorer in Central Asia |
| Allagopappus | al-luh-go-PAP-pus | From the Greek allos (different, other) and pappos (pappus) |
| Allocasuarina | al-low-kazh-yoo-ar-EYE-nuh | From the Greek allos (other, different) and Casuarina (the genus) |
| Ampelodesmos | am-pel-oh-DES-mos | From the Greek ampelos (grape) and desmos (ligament) |
| Amphibolia | am-fih-BOL-ee-uh | From the Latin, meaning ambiguity (doubtful or uncertain) |
| Andryala | an-DRY-al-uh | Derivation unknown |
| Antegibbaeum | an-tee-GIB-bay-um | From the Latin ante (before) and gibba (hump) |
| Anubias | an-YOO-bee-as | Named for Anubis, the Egyptian god of the underworld |
| Apollonias | ap-pol-LOH-nee-us | Named for Apollo, the Greek god of beauty |
| Apteria | ap-TER-ee-uh | From the Greek apter (wingless) and refers to the fruits |
| Argania | ar-GAN-ee-uh | Latinized form of the Moroccan name for these plants |
| Armatocereus | ar-mat-oh-SER-ee-us | From the Latin armatus (armed with thorns) and cereus (cactus) |
| Arrojadoa | ar-roh-HA-doh-uh | Named for Dr. Miguel Arrojadoa Lisboa, botanical explorer |
| Aspidosperma | as-pid-oh-SPER-muh | From the Greek aspidion (small shield) and sperma (seed); refers to the seed-form |
| Azadirachta | ay-zad-ih-RAK-tuh | From the Arab name for this plant |
| Actinorhytis | ak-tin-oh-RY-tus | From the Greek aktinos (ray) and rhytis (wrinkle) |
| Allagoptera | al-luh-GOP-ter-ruh | from the Greek allos (diverse) and pteron (wing); refers to the plumosely arranged leaflets along the rachis |
| Alloschmidia | al-loh-SHMID-ee-uh | From the Greek allos (diverse) and Schmid (it is unclear to whom the reference is made) |
| Alsmithia | al-SMITH-ee-uh | Named for Albert C. Smith, a Pacific botanist |
| Ammandra | am-MAN-druh | From the Greek ammos (sand) and andros (male) |
| Asterogyne | 1: ass-ter-ROH-gy-nee
2: ass-ter-roh-JY-nee | From the Greek astros (star) and gyne (female) |
| Astrocaryum | ass-tro-KAR-ee-um | From the Greek astro (star) and Carya (walnut) |
| Alcantarea | al-kan-TAR-ee-uh | Named for Prince Pedro of Alcantara, early 20th century Emperor of Brazil |
| Andrea | an-DREY-uh | Named for Edouard André, 19th century French author of Bromeliaceae Andreanae, a monograph on bromeliads |
| Androlepis | an-droh-LEP-iss | From the Greek andros (male) and lepis (scale) |
| Ayensua | ay-EN-soo-uh | Named for Edward Soloman Ayensu, a botanist and patron at the Smithsonian Institute |
| Aa | ay | An orchid generic name that was made up so it could always be first in plant listings |
| Abdominea | ab-do-MIN-ee-uh | From the Latin abdomin (belly) and refers to the lip shape's similarity to an insect's abdomen |
| Acanthephippium | a-kan-the-FIP-ee-um | From the Greek akantha (thorn) and ephippi (saddle); refers to the saddle-like lip with thorn-like points |
| Acianthus | 1: a-see-AN-thus
2: a-kee-AN-thus | From the Greek acius (point) and anthus (flower) |
| Acostaea | ah-KOS-tee-uh | Named for Guillermo Acosta, a Costa Rican orchid collector |
| Acriopsis | ak-ree-OP-sis | Resembling Acris (Locust) |
| Adenoncos | ay-den-ON-kos | From the Greek aden (gland) and oncos (swelling); refers to the glandulose callus on the lip base |
| Agrostophyllum | ag-roh-STOH-fill-um | From the Greek agros (field) and phyllum (leaf), referring to grass-like leaves |
| Alamania | al-ah-man-ee-uh | Named for Lucas Alamán, 19th century Mexican statesman |
| Altensteinia | al-ten-STINE-nee-uh | Named for the Baron von Stein of Altenstein |
| Amparoa | am-PAR-oh-uh | Named for Doña Amparo Lopez Callejas de Zeledon, a Costa Rican orchid enthusiast |
| Anacheilium | an-uh-KAY-lee-um | from the Greek ana (up) and cheilus (lip) |
| Ancistrochilus | an-siss-tro-KY-lus | From the Greek ancistrus (fishhook) and cheilus (lip) |
| Ancistrorhynchus | an-siss-troh-RYN-chus | From the Greek ancistrus (fishhook) and rhynchus (beak); refers to the hook-shaped rostellum |
| Angraecopsis | an-gry-KOP-sis | Angraecum-like |
| Anthogonium | an-tho-GO-nee-um | From the Greek anthus (flower) and gonium (angle); refers to the large angle between the flower and the ovary |
| Aphyllorchis | a-fy-LOR-kis | From the Greek a (without) phyllon (leaves) and orchis (orchid) |
| Apostasia | a-pos-STAY-see-uh | From the Latin, meaning apostasy; referring to the exclusion of these orchids from the Orchidaceae family |
| Appendicula | ap-pen-DIK-yoo-luh | Named for the small appendix on the lip |
| Artorima | 1: ar-TOR-im-uh
2: ar-tor-EE-muh | Derivation unknown |
| Arundina | a-run-DEE-nuh | From the Latin Arundo (reed) |
| Arundinella | a-run-din-EL-uh | Diminutive form of the genus Arundo (reed) |
| Ascocentrum | as-koh-SEN-trum | From the Greek ascos (bag) and kentron (center or spur) |
| Ascoglossum | as-koh-GLOS-sum | From the Greek ascos (bag) and glossum (tongue); refers to the tongue-like shape of the lip |
| Athanasia | 1: ath-an-AY-zha
2: ath-an-AY-see-uh | From the Greek athanatos (without dying); the bracts remain for a long time after the flower dies |
| Aulax | AW-laks | From the Greek, meaning furrow |
| Appertiella | ap-per-tee-EL-uh | Named for Otto Pater Appert |
| niamniamensis | nee-um-nee-um-EN-sis | Of or from Niam-Niam, Central Africa |
| congolense | 1: kon-go-LEN-see
2: kon-go-LEN-say | Of or from the Congo Basin (Africa) |
| congolensis | kon-go-LEN-sis | Of or from the Congo Basin (Africa) |
| Abroma | a-BROH-muh | From the Greek a (without) and broma (food); these plants are mildly toxic |
| Abrophyllum | ab-roh-FIL-um | From the Greek abros (delicate) and phyllon (leaf) |
| Acanthocalyx | a-kan-tho-KAL-iks | From the Greek akantha (thorn) and calyx (covering) |
| Acanthocarpus | a-kan-tho-KAR-pus | From the Greek akantha (thorn) and carpus (fruit) |
| Acanthocladium | a-kan-tho-KLAD-ee-um | From the Greek akantha (thorn) and clados (branch) |
| Acanthopsis | a-kan-THOP-sis | Acanthus-like |
| Acanthophyllum | a-kanth-oh-FIL-lum | From the Greek akantha (thorn) and phyllon (leaf) |
| Acaulimalva | a-kawl-ih-MAL-vuh | From the Greek acaulis (stemless) and Malva (the genus) |
| Acanthocephalus | a-kanth-oh-SEF-al-us | From the Greek akantha (thorn) and cephalus (head) |
| Allenrolfea | al-len-ROLF-ee-uh | Named for Robert Allen Rolfe, 20th century English botanist and the first orchid taxonomist at Kew Gardens |
| Acanthospermum | a-kanth-oh-SPER-mum | From the Greek akantha (thorn) and sperma (seed) |
| Acanthella | a-kan-THEL-uh | Diminutive form of Acanthus (genus name, meaning spike) |
| Acanthocardamum | a-kanth-oh-KARD-uh-mum | From the Greek akantha (thorn) and cardamum (a cress-like plant) |
| Acanthochlamys | a-kanth-oh-KLAM-mis | From the Greek akantha (thorn) and chlamys (cloak) |
| Acanthopale | a-kanth-oh-PAL-ee | From the Greek akantha (thorn) and palum (a stake) |
| Acanthosyris | a-kanth-oh-SY-riss | From the Greek akantha (thorn) and syris (of or from Syria) |
| Aceratium | ay-ser-RAT-ee-um | From the Greek a (without) and keras (horns) |
| Acharia | a-KAR-ee-uh | From the Greek a (without) and charis (grace); unpleasant |
| Achetaria | ak-eh-TAR-ee-uh | From the Greek achetae (cicada or chirping sound) and aria (place) |
| Acidocroton | ass-id-oh-KRO-ton | From the Greek acido (acidic or sour) and Croton (the genus) |
| Acrobotrys | ak-roh-BOT-riss | From the Greek acro (topmost) and botrys (a bunch of grapes) |
| Bahia | bah-HEE-uh | Named for J.F. Bahi, a botanical professor in Barcelona, Spain |
| Batis | BAY-tiss | Greek name for a seashore plant |
| Bebbia | BEB-bee-uh | Named for Michael Schuck Bebb, 19th century American specialist on willows |
| Bergia | 1: BER-gee-uh
2: BER-jee-uh | Named for Peter Jonas Bergius (1730-1790), a Swedish botanist and student of Linnaeus |
| Berula | BER-oo-luh | Latin name for an aquatic plant similar to water-cress |
| Blennosperma | blen-no-SPER-muh | Slimy seed |
| Blepharipappus | blef-ar-ih-PAP-pus | Eyelash pappus |
| Boehmeria | boh-MEER-ee-uh | Named for George Rudolf Boehmer, 18th century professor of botany and anatomy at Wittenberg, Germany |
| Boschniakia | bosh-nee-AH-kee-uh | Named for Boschniaki, a Russian botanist |
| Bowlesia | 1: bowls-ee-uh
2: bow-leez-ee-uh | Named for William Bowles, 18th century Irish naturalist |
| Brandegea | bran-DIJ-ee-uh | Named after Townshend Stith or his wife Mary Katherine Brandegee, early 19th century American botanists |
| Boisduvalia | bois-du-VAL-ee-uh | Named for Jean Alphonse Boisduvali, a French naturalist and physician; this genus is now associated with Epilobium |
| makinoi | MACK-kin-oy | Named for Tomitaro Makino, 20th century Japanese botanist |
| requieni | re-KWEE-en-eye | Named for Esprit Requien, 19th century French botanist |
