← Latin for Biologists and Gardeners — Botanical Latin
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65.1 Volō I wish herbās herbs in in hortō the garden colere. to cultivate
65.2 Quid What volunt do (they) wish studiōsī the students discere? to learn
65.3 Nēmō No one plantam a plant ēnecāre to kill vult. wishes
65.4 Flōrēs flowers carpere to pick puer the boy volēbat. wanted
65.5 Sī If vīs you wish arborem the tree servāre, to save aquam water adde. add
65.6 Rārās rare speciēs species vidēre to see voluistī. you wanted
65.7 Omnēs All herbās herbs cognōscere to know hortulānus the gardener vult. wishes
65.1 Volō herbās in hortō colere. I wish to cultivate herbs in the garden.
65.2 Quid volunt studiōsī discere? What do the students wish to learn?
65.3 Nēmō plantam ēnecāre vult. No one wishes to kill a plant.
65.4 Flōrēs carpere puer volēbat. The boy wanted to pick flowers.
65.5 Sī vīs arborem servāre, aquam adde. If you wish to save the tree, add water.
65.6 Rārās speciēs vidēre voluistī. You wanted to see rare species.
65.7 Omnēs herbās cognōscere hortulānus vult. The gardener wishes to know all herbs.
65.8 Quandō volētis sēmina plantāre? When will you wish to plant seeds?
65.9 Sī rosam habēre voluerīs, spīnās tolerā. If you will have wished to have a rose, tolerate the thorns.
65.10 Nōlī folia dēcerpere. Do not pluck off the leaves.
65.11 Discipulōs plantārum nōmina discere magister voluit. The teacher wished the pupils to learn the names of plants.
65.12 Num agrī neglegī volunt? Surely they do not wish the fields to be neglected?
65.13 Herba quam examinare volumus rāra est. The herb which we wish to examine is rare.
65.14 Arbōrēs servāre omnēs volunt, sed labōrāre paucī. All wish to preserve trees, but few to work.
65.15 Quamquam flōrem colligere volēbam, nōn poteram. Although I wanted to collect the flower, I was not able.
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65.1 Volō herbās in hortō colere.
65.2 Quid volunt studiōsī discere?
65.3 Nēmō plantam ēnecāre vult.
65.4 Flōrēs carpere puer volēbat.
65.5 Sī vīs arborem servāre, aquam adde.
65.6 Rārās speciēs vidēre voluistī.
65.7 Omnēs herbās cognōscere hortulānus vult.
65.8 Quandō volētis sēmina plantāre?
65.9 Sī rosam habēre voluerīs, spīnās tolerā.
65.10 Nōlī folia dēcerpere.
65.11 Discipulōs plantārum nōmina discere magister voluit.
65.12 Num agrī neglegī volunt?
65.13 Herba quam examinare volumus rāra est.
65.14 Arbōrēs servāre omnēs volunt, sed labōrāre paucī.
65.15 Quamquam flōrem colligere volēbam, nōn poteram.
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For English speakers learning Latin, understanding "volō" (to wish, to be willing) is essential for expressing desires and intentions, especially in botanical contexts. -
Forms and Conjugation: -
volō, velle, voluī is an irregular verb -
Present tense conjugation: -
volō (I wish) -
vīs (you wish) -
vult (he/she/it wishes) -
volumus (we wish) -
vultis (you [plural] wish) -
volunt (they wish) -
The infinitive velle is irregular (not volēre) -
No passive forms exist -
No supine or perfect passive participle -
Syntax: -
Typically followed by an infinitive: "volō discere" (I wish to learn) -
Can govern object accusatives with infinitive: "volō tē venīre" (I want you to come) -
Used in conditional clauses with "sī" (if): "sī vīs..." (if you wish...) -
Negative command formed with "nōlī" + infinitive -
Related Forms: -
nōlō, nōlle, nōluī (I do not wish): the negative counterpart -
mālō, mālle, māluī (I prefer): indicates preference -
Special imperative forms: "nōlī" (singular), "nōlīte" (plural) used for negative commands -
Grammatical Patterns: -
With complementary infinitive: "volō discere" (I wish to learn) -
In indirect statements: "volō tē discere" (I wish you to learn) -
Past tense intentions: "volēbam vidēre" (I was wishing to see) -
Future intentions: "volam vidēre" (I will wish to see) -
Negative commands: "nōlī tangere" (do not touch) -
Botanical Context: -
Often used to express intentions regarding plant care -
Commonly appears in instructional texts about cultivation -
Important for describing desired outcomes in experimentation -
Useful in taxonomic descriptions for expressing preferences
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For English speakers, understanding "volō" in botanical Latin requires cultural context: -
Historical Usage: -
Central to botanical instruction manuals since ancient times -
Used in medical texts to prescribe herbal treatments -
Found in agricultural works like Columella's "De Re Rustica" -
Essential in medieval monastic garden texts -
Scientific Applications: -
Used in taxonomic descriptions to indicate preferred habitat -
Appears in experimental accounts describing research intentions -
Common in horticultural instructions throughout history -
Frequently used in field guides to indicate appropriate growing conditions -
Communication Patterns: -
Indicates desires and intentions rather than direct commands -
Softer than imperative forms in instructional texts -
Used to express scientific hypotheses about plant behavior -
Creates personal voice in otherwise technical descriptions -
Modern Connections: -
Still found in botanical Latin descriptions today -
Used in conservation directives and guidelines -
Part of the vocabulary of garden design literature -
Essential for understanding historical herbals and florilegia -
Educational Significance: -
Important for expressing research questions in botanical studies -
Used when describing cultivation preferences of plants -
Helps distinguish between optional and necessary procedures -
Central to expressing the goals of botanical field research
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From Linnaeus's "Philosophia Botanica" (1751):
Part F-A (Interleaved Text)
Botanicus botanist novās new speciēs species invenīre to discover vult wishes ut so that scientiam science augeat he may increase. Quandō when plantam plant novam new invēnerit he will have found, eam it dēscrībere to describe dēbet he ought secundum according to characterēs characteristics essentiālēs essential quōs which nātūra nature dedit gave.
"Botanicus novās speciēs invenīre vult ut scientiam augeat. Quandō plantam novam invēnerit, eam dēscrībere dēbet secundum characterēs essentiālēs quōs nātūra dedit."
"The botanist wishes to discover new species in order to increase science. When he will have found a new plant, he ought to describe it according to the essential characteristics which nature gave."
Linnaeus uses "vult" to express the botanist's desire to discover new species, emphasizing the motivation behind botanical exploration. The passage outlines the proper sequence for botanical discovery: finding new plants, describing them according to their essential characteristics, and thereby advancing botanical knowledge.
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"vult" is used with the complementary infinitive "invenīre" to express desire -
Purpose clause with "ut" + subjunctive "augeat" (may increase) -
Future perfect "invēnerit" in temporal clause with "quandō" (when) -
Modal verb "dēbet" (ought to) with infinitive "dēscrībere" -
Relative clause with "quōs" (which) referring to "characterēs" -
Note use of botanical technical vocabulary: "speciēs," "characterēs essentiālēs"
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65.16 Hodīe today volō I wish plantās plants in in silvā forest observāre to observe
65.17 Botanicī botanists novās new orchideās orchids invenīre to find volunt wish
65.18 Exemplar specimen huius of this plantae plant cōnservāre to preserve voluī I wished
65.19 Nōn not omnia all exemplāria specimens collēcta collected exsīccāre to dry volumus we wish
65.20 Sī if vultis you wish fungōs fungi cognōscere to identify microscōpium microscope adhibēte use
65.21 Volēbam I was wishing sēmina seeds huius of this rārae rare speciēī species colligere to collect sed but nōndum not yet mātūra ripe erant they were
65.22 Studiōsī students plantārum of plants habitūs habits intellegere to understand volunt wish
65.23 Quis who vult wishes mēcum with me ad to palūdem marsh īre to go ad for aquāticās aquatic plantās plants examinandās to be examined
65.24 Crās tomorrow volumus we wish herbārium herbarium visitāre to visit ut so that speciminibus specimens nostrīs our nōmina names impōnāmus we may assign
65.25 Quamvīs although volēbāmus we were wishing omnēs all varietātēs varieties dēscrībere to describe tempus time nōn not permīsit permitted
65.26 Voluerantne had they wished commūnicāre to communicate inventum discovery suum their cum with aliīs others botanicīs botanists
65.27 Speciēs species novās new nōminare to name vīs you wish secundum according to habitātiōnem habitat vel or secumdum according to mōrphologiam morphology
65.28 Nōlī do not wish flōrēs flowers carpere to pick priusquam before pollinātiō pollination complēta complete sit may be
65.29 Magister teacher voluit wished ut that ūnusquisque each one discipulus student herbārium herbarium proprium own creāret would create
65.30 Hanc this plantam plant in in hortō garden botanicō botanical cōnservāre to preserve vult wishes praefectus director quod because paene almost exstīncta extinct est it is
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65.16 Hodīe plantās in silvā observāre volō. Today I wish to observe plants in the forest.
65.17 Novās orchideās invenīre volunt botanicī. The botanists wish to find new orchids.
65.18 Exemplar huius plantae cōnservāre voluī. I wished to preserve a specimen of this plant.
65.19 Nōn omnia exemplāria collēcta exsīccāre volumus. We do not wish to dry all the collected specimens.
65.20 Sī fungōs cognōscere vultis, microscōpium adhibēte. If you wish to identify fungi, use a microscope.
65.21 Volēbam sēmina huius rārae speciēī colligere, sed nōndum mātūra erant. I wanted to collect seeds of this rare species, but they were not yet ripe.
65.22 Plantārum habitūs intellegere volunt studiōsī. The students wish to understand the habits of plants.
65.23 Quis vult mēcum ad palūdem īre ad aquāticās plantās examinandās? Who wishes to go with me to the marsh to examine aquatic plants?
65.24 Crās herbārium visitāre volumus ut speciminibus nostrīs nōmina impōnāmus. Tomorrow we wish to visit the herbarium so that we may assign names to our specimens.
65.25 Quamvīs omnēs varietātēs dēscrībere volēbāmus, tempus nōn permīsit. Although we wanted to describe all the varieties, time did not permit.
65.26 Voluerantne inventum suum cum aliīs botanicīs commūnicāre? Had they wished to communicate their discovery with other botanists?
65.27 Speciēs novās nōminare vīs secundum habitātiōnem vel secundum mōrphologiam? Do you wish to name new species according to habitat or according to morphology?
65.28 Nōlī flōrēs carpere priusquam pollinātiō complēta sit. Do not pick flowers before pollination may be complete.
65.29 Magister voluit ut ūnusquisque discipulus herbārium proprium creāret. The teacher wished that each student would create his own herbarium.
65.30 Hanc plantam in hortō botanicō cōnservāre vult praefectus quod paene exstīncta est. The director wishes to preserve this plant in the botanical garden because it is almost extinct.
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65.16 Hodīe plantās in silvā observāre volō.
65.17 Novās orchideās invenīre volunt botanicī.
65.18 Exemplar huius plantae cōnservāre voluī.
65.19 Nōn omnia exemplāria collēcta exsīccāre volumus.
65.20 Sī fungōs cognōscere vultis, microscōpium adhibēte.
65.21 Volēbam sēmina huius rārae speciēī colligere, sed nōndum mātūra erant.
65.22 Plantārum habitūs intellegere volunt studiōsī.
65.23 Quis vult mēcum ad palūdem īre ad aquāticās plantās examinandās?
65.24 Crās herbārium visitāre volumus ut speciminibus nostrīs nōmina impōnāmus.
65.25 Quamvīs omnēs varietātēs dēscrībere volēbāmus, tempus nōn permīsit.
65.26 Voluerantne inventum suum cum aliīs botanicīs commūnicāre?
65.27 Speciēs novās nōminare vīs secundum habitātiōnem vel secundum mōrphologiam?
65.28 Nōlī flōrēs carpere priusquam pollinātiō complēta sit.
65.29 Magister voluit ut ūnusquisque discipulus herbārium proprium creāret.
65.30 Hanc plantam in hortō botanicō cōnservāre vult praefectus quod paene exstīncta est.
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In botanical field notes, "volō" and its forms appear in several distinct grammatical constructions: -
With Technical Infinitives: -
"plantās observāre volō" (I wish to observe plants) -
"speciēs nōminare vīs" (you wish to name species) -
Technical infinitives like "cōnservāre," "exsīccāre," "examinare" are common in botanical contexts -
In Purpose Constructions: -
With "ut" + subjunctive: "volumus visitāre ut impōnāmus" (we wish to visit so that we may assign) -
With gerundive of purpose: "ad plantās examinandās" (for examining plants) -
These constructions express the scientific purpose behind botanical activities -
In Conditional Field Protocols: -
"Sī vultis cognōscere, adhibēte" (If you wish to identify, use...) -
These forms provide flexible instructions based on the botanist's intentions -
In Documentation of Limitations: -
"volēbam colligere, sed nōndum mātūra erant" (I wanted to collect, but they were not yet ripe) -
"volēbāmus dēscrībere, tempus nōn permīsit" (we wanted to describe, time did not permit) -
These structures explain why certain botanical tasks couldn't be completed -
In Negative Commands for Field Work: -
"Nōlī carpere priusquam complēta sit" (Do not pick before it may be complete) -
These forms provide important conservation guidelines -
With Subordinate Clauses: -
"voluit ut discipulus creāret" (he wished that the student would create) -
Used to express desired outcomes in research and teaching contexts -
Interrogative Forms in Field Collaboration: -
"Quis vult mēcum īre?" (Who wishes to go with me?) -
"Voluerantne commūnicāre?" (Had they wished to communicate?) -
These questions facilitate scientific collaboration -
With Botanical Terminology: -
"fungōs cognōscere" (to identify fungi) -
"speciēs novās nōminare" (to name new species) -
"herbārium visitāre" (to visit the herbarium) -
"exemplāria exsīccāre" (to dry specimens) -
The terminology reflects specialized botanical activities -
Word Order Variations: -
Initial position: "Volēbam sēmina colligere" (emphasizes intention) -
Medial position: "Exemplar cōnservāre voluī" (balanced emphasis) -
Final position: "plantās observāre volō" (emphasizes the action) -
Word order reflects the focus of the botanical note
These constructions are fundamental to botanical field notation, providing structure for documenting research intentions, processes, and outcomes.
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