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Sylvestris

/sil-VES-tris/
🏷️ Taxonomy●● Intermediate

Also known as: sylvestre

A specific epithet meaning the plant grows naturally in woodland or forest settings, or is the wild form as opposed to a cultivated variety. It distinguishes native, uncultivated plants from their domesticated relatives.

Etymology

From Latin silva or sylva, meaning "forest" or "wood," + -estris (suffix denoting habitat).

Example

Pinus sylvestris (Scots pine) and Malus sylvestris (crab apple) both use this epithet to indicate their wild, woodland origins.

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