What's in a name? An etymological exploration of the extraordinary plants and plant names of Oxford Botanic Garden

Delve into the extraordinary world of etymology and, in particular, the names of plants. Etymology is the scientific study of the origins of words and explores the history of a word or phrase. The names of plants, scientific and vernacular, are one of the oldest layers of the vocabulary – why were they created and how they have changed over time?

Alex Mills is a botanist and ecologist working as a Vascular Plant Specialist for Natural England. He is fascinated by the biocultural connections between plants and people, as well as the weird, wonderful, and often overlooked nooks and crannies of the plant world – think ferns, parasites and bryophytes. As a former student of early modern literature gone wild, Alex believes that anyone, given the support and opportunity, can (re-)learn to love the natural world. He hopes to encourage others to discover the beauty, importance and joy of plants.