Gods and Goddesses in the Garden: Greco-Roman Mythology and the Scientific Names of PlantsZeus, Medusa, Hercules, Aphrodite. Did you know that these and other dynamic deities, heroes, and monsters of Greek and Roman mythology live on in the names of trees and flowers? Some grow in your local woodlands or right in your own backyard garden. In this delightful book, botanist Peter Bernhardt reveals the rich history and mythology that underlie the origins of many scientific plant names. Unlike other books about botanical taxonomy that take the form of heavy and intimidating lexicons, Bernhardt's account comes together in a series of interlocking stories. Each chapter opens with a short version of a classical myth, then links the tale to plant names, showing how each plant "resembles" its mythological counterpart with regard to its history, anatomy, life cycle, and conservation. You will learn, for example, that as our garden acanthus wears nasty spines along its leaf margins, it is named for the nymph who scratched the face of Apollo. The shape-shifting god, Proteus, gives his name to a whole family of shrubs and trees that produce colorful flowering branches in an astonishing number of sizes and shapes. Amateur and professional gardeners, high school teachers and professors of biology, botanists and conservationists alike will appreciate this book's entertaining and informative entry to the otherwise daunting field of botanical names. Engaging, witty, and memorable, Gods and Goddesses in the Garden transcends the genre of natural history and makes taxonomy a topic equally at home in the classroom and at cocktail parties. |
Contents
CHAPTER I | 1 |
CHAPTER 2 | 28 |
Mother Earth and Her Children | 43 |
The Triumph of Zeus | 67 |
The Gods of Olympus | 95 |
Mortal Monarchs and Monsters | 135 |
Troy and Its Aftermath | 169 |
A Plant for Persephone? | 194 |
Glossary | 201 |
Other editions - View all
Gods and Goddesses in the Garden: Greco-Roman Mythology and the Scientific ... Peter Bernhardt No preview available - 2008 |
Common terms and phrases
Africa American ancient Aphrodite apple Asia Asteraceae Australia beautiful belong binomial bloom blossoms botanists Botany bulbs bushes called carpels centaur century classical collectors color common name Cronus Cyclops Cypripedium daughter deities Dionysus edible Eidothea Europe female flora flowering stalk foliage forests fruit genera genus genus name giant goddess Gods of Olympus grass Greco-Roman Greece Greek grow Helios hemisphere Hera Heracles herbal herbs honor hybrids insisted island John Lindley King Latin leaf leaves lily Lindley Linnaeus Linnaeus named living male medicine Mediterranean Mediterranean basin Missouri Botanical Garden molecules Monarchs and Monsters Mortal Monarchs Mother Earth myth mythology named the genus native nectar northern nymph Odysseus Orchidaceae orchids organs Periboea Persephone Perseus pistil plant names Poaceae pollen princess produce Queen refer Roman roots scientific names seeds sepals shrub South America southern specimen stamens stems synonym taxonomists taxonomy Titan tree tropical Troy vine wild wildflowers woody Zeus