Table 1  A selection of plant names and their likely derivation.

Acacia Gk. for a prickly Egyptian shrub
acculeata pointed, referring to the leaves
acetosus having an acid taste
adscendens rising upwards, ref. to the tendency of the flowering branchlets to stand erect
aestivus, aestivalis of summer
agrestis of fields or cultivated land
alatus winged
albus white
alpestris, alpinus of the Alps or high mountains
altissimus very tall
altus tall, high
amabilis pleasing, lovely
angustatus narrow, slender
Anopterus anomes= iregular; pteris= a wing, the seed has unequal wings
apetala without petals
arborescens treelike
archeri, Archeria William Archer of Cheshunt near Deloraine - illustrator of Flora Tasmanie (1860)
arenarius of sandy places
argenteus silvery
Aristotelia thought to be in honour ofAristotle
arundinaceus reedlike
arvensis of fields, especially ploughed fields
Atherosperma Gk. atheros= the beard of an ear of corn; sperm= a seed
aureus golden yellow
australis southern
autumnalis of autumn
axillaris indicates that the flowers are in the axils of the leaves
Banksia Sir Joseph Banks (1743-1820)
Bedfordia Randolf Bedford
Bellendena beautiful native
Billardiera Jacques Julien Labillardiere - Bruni D'Entrecasteaux
Blandfordia possibly to honour son of a Duke of Marlborough
borealis northern
Boronia Francesco Borone - Italian plant collector
Brachyscome Gk. brachys= short; comas= hair; ref. to the short pappus hair aroung the florets
caeruleus sky blue
caesius blue grey
Caladenia Gk. kalos= beautiful; aden= a knob, ref. to the long slender flower parts end in dark clubs
calcaratus spurred
Caleana G Caley - a NSW plant collector
Callistemon Gk. kallistos= most beautiful; stemon= a stamen
campanulatus bell-like
campestris of fields
candidus shining white
canescens hoary
capreolatus having tendrils
cardiocarpa cardis= heart; carpa= fruit, the achene fruit is heart-shaped
carinatus keeled
carneus flesh coloured
carnosus fleshy, succulent
Cassinia Count Alexandre Henri-Gabriel Cassini (1748-1832), a French botanist,who specialized in the Compositae
castaneus chestnut coloured
caudata tailed
caudatus tailed
cerasiferus having cherry-like fruits
ceriferus producing wax
cerinthoides like Cerinthe, the honeywort or wax plant in the family Boraginaceae
cernuus nodding, drooping
cinereus ash grey
cirrhosus, cirrhatus having tendrils
clavatus club shaped
Clematis Gk. small vine
coccineus scarlet
collinus of hills
communis common
comosus, comatus tufted
concolor uniform in colour
Coprosma Gk. kopros= dung; osme= smell
corniculatus, cornutus having a hornlike appendage
costatus, costatalis ribbed
crassus thick, fleshy
crispus, crispatus finely waved
cruentus blood red
cyaneus dark blue
Cyathodes cup-like, ref. to the flower
dealbata off-white or silver
demersus growing underwater
demissus lowly, humble
Dendrobium Gk. dendro= tree; bios= life, ref. to epiphytic habit
derwentiana belonging to the Derwent River
diemensis from Van Diemens Land
Dillwynia LW Dillwyn (1778-1855) - English botanist
Diplarrhena ?????
discolor not uniform in colour
dracophylla leaves resembling those of the Dragon Tree 
Drimys Gk. drimus - acid
dulcis sweet
dumosus bushy
echinatus spiny
edulis used for food
effusus spread out thinly
elatus  tall
elodes of marshes
ensatus swordlike
Epacris Gk. epi= upon; akros= the top, ref. to ???
Eriostemon hairy stamens
esculentus edible
Eucalyptus Gk. eu= well; kalyptos= covered, ref. to the operculum
Eucryphia Gk. eu= well; kryphia= covering, the calyx forms a cap
ferrugineus rust coloured
fistulosus hollow and tubular
flabellatus fanlike
flavus pale yellow
flexuosus bending alternately in opposite directions
floribunda many-flowered
floribundus flowering profusely
fluitans floating
fluviatilis of rivers
foetidus foul smelling
fontinalis, fontanus of springs
Forstera  JR Forster and JGA Forster - Cook's 2nd voyage
forsteri JR Forster and JGA Forster - Cook's 2nd voyage
franklinii Sir John Franklin - naval Governor of VDL
fulgens, fulgidus bright, shining
fulvus yellow brown
furcatus forked
gelidus of cold regions
Gentianella little gentian - from Gentius, King of Illyria who found the healing properties in the Yellow Gentian of Europe
gentianoides leaves like those of a small gentian
glandulosus small swellings or glands on the serrations of the leaf
globulus a small globe
glutinosus sticky
Goodenia Samuel Goodenough (1743-1827) - Bishop, V.P. of Roy. Soc.
gracilis slender
graveolens strong smelling
griseus pearl grey
gunnii Ronald Campbell Gunn of Launceston
hederaceus ivy-like
Helichrysum Gk. helios= sun; khrysos= gold
hepaticus liver coloured
Hibbertia George Hibbert - London merchant
hibernus, hiemalis of winter
hirsutus hairy
hookeri Joseph Dalton Hooker, visited Hobart 1840, Surgeon -General
hookeriana Joseph Dalton Hooker, visited Hobart 1840, Surgeon -General
horridus very bristly
hortensis of a garden
humulis dwarf
hystrix bristly
impressa dented, ref. to the impressions at the base of the corrolla
impudicus shameless, immodest
incanus grey, hoary
incarnatus flesh coloured
indicus of India
Indigophera Indigo - Indian blue dye; fero= I carry
infundibuliformis funnel shaped
insignis outstanding
integrifolius having entire leaves
italicus of Italy
johnstonii RM Johnston - 
junceus rushlike
lacustris of lakes or ponds
laevigatum smooth
laevigatus smooth, polished
lanatus, lanosus woolly
lanceolata leaves shaped like lance-heads
lasianthos Gk.lasios= hairy; anthos= a flower
latifolius having broad leaves
Leptospermum Gk. leptos= slender; sperma= seed
leucanthus having white flowers
limosus of muddy places
lineatus marked with parellel lines
littoralis of the seashore
lividus lead coloured
Lomatia Gk. lomatos= an edge, ref. to the winged seeds
longiflora long flower
lunatus half-moon shaped
luridus dull yellow
luteus deep yellow
Lyperanthos Gk. lyperos= mournful; anthos= flower
maculatus spotted, blotched
major the larger
marginata ref. to the tightly rolled leaf margins
meredithae Louise Meredith - illustrator and author of popular books on plants and animals
meridionalis southern; flowers opening around midday
milliganii Dr Joseph Milligan - naturalist, Sec. to the Governor
mollis softly hairy
monogyna incorrectly indicates that the style is undivided - the plant has 3 free styles
montana of the mountains
montanus, monticolus of the mountains
moraea from resemblance to S. African Butterfly Iris, named in honour of Robert Moore - English botanist (18th C)
moschatum with a musky scent, ref. to ???????
moschatus musk smelling
muralis of walls
nanus dwarf
natans floating on or under water
nemoralis, nemorosus of shade or woodlands
nervosus having conspicuous veins
niger black
nigricans black
nivalis, niveus, nivea snow white, of the snow
Nothofagus Gk. nothos= false; fagus= beech
nudus naked
nutans nodding, hanging
occidentalis western, American
officinalis having medical use
Olearia probably from Olea, the olive, from the resemblance of the leaves in some species
oleraceus vegetable crop
orientalis eastern, Asian
ovata egg-shaped, ref. to the leaves
paludosus, palustris of bogs, marshes, or swamps
pannosus densely hairy
parvifolia small leaves
parvus small
patens spreading
peduncularis long flower stalk
petraeus growing among rocks
pilosa covered with distinct hairs
Pimelea Gk. pimele= fat, ref. to the cotyledons
plenus, pleniformis full, double
Pomaderris Gk. poma = a lid; derris = skin, referring to the fact that the fruit opens by a thin lid
praecox developing early
prasinus bright green
pratensis of meadows
Prionotes Gk. prion= a saw, ref. to the leaf margins
procumbens prostrate or procumbent habit
Prostanthera Gk. prostheke= appendage; anthera= anther, ref. to the projection on the anther
pulcher beautiful
punicea Gk. puniceus= scarlet, from Punica, the pomegranate, which bears dark scarlet flowers
purpurascens purplish of turing purple
pusillus very small; weak
quadrifida split into four
ramosus branched
ramulosa ramulus= a small branch 
reniformis kidney shaped
repens, reptans creeping, prostrate
Richea CAG Riche - botanist with D'Entrecasteaux
riparius growing by rivers or streams
rivularis, rivalis growing by streams or brooks
rodwayi Leonard Rodway - The Tasmanian Flora (1903)
roseus pink
rostratus beaked
ruber red
ruderalis growing in rubbish
rupestris growing on rocks
salicina willow-like, referring to the leaves
sativus cultivated
saxatilis growing among rocks
scaber rough
scandens climbing
scoparia from its resemblance to a small broom plant, Sarothamnus scoparius
scorpioides like a scorpion
sempervirens evergreen
sericeus silky
serotinus late
setaceus, setasus bristly
sinensis of China
somniferus sleep inducing
speciosus good looking
spectabilis showy
spiceri Rev. WW Spicer - A Handbook of the Plants of Tasmania (1878).
squamatus scaly
squarrosus having overlapping leaves with outward- projecting tips
Stackhousia John Stackhouse (1742-1819) - botanist, Cornwell, England
stellulata little star
striolatum with fine lines
Styphelia Gk. styphelos= hard, rough, ref. to the leaves
sylvaticus, sylvestris of woods
Telopea Gk. tele= distant; opas= colour
tenellus delicate
tenuis slender
terrestris of dry ground
Tetratheca tetra = four, theca = box - alluding to the anthers
tinctoria useful for dyeing
tinctorius used for dyeing
truncata ending abruptly as if cut off, ref. to the leaves
umbrosus of shade
uncinatus hooked
usitassimus, utilis useful
velutinus velvety
ventricosus inflated, especially unevenly so
vernalis, vernus of spring
Veronica to honour St Veronica, a nun who died in Milan in 1497
verrucosus covered with warts
versicolor variously coloured
vescus small; edible
virens, viridus green
viridiflorus green flowering
vulgaris common