The Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus (1707 to 1778) established
the Latin/Linnean plant-naming system. In this binomial system,
plants have two-part botanical names. The first part is the
genus, a sort of group surname. The second part or epithet,
identifies the species. It is a descriptive name that pinpoints
the plant’s place of origin or shape or other distinguishing
features. Sometimes, the epithet is simply a translation of the
plant’s name into Latin. Birds of Paradise Strelitzia reginae is
the botanical name of the bird of paradise or crane flower. Its
introduction to England’s Royal Gardens at Kew in 1773 was
thanks to Sir Joseph Banks, a noted botanist and the unofficial
director of the Gardens. He named the bird of paradise in honor
of Queen Charlotte, the German-born wife of King George III.
“Strelitia” acknowledges Queen Charlotte’s title of Duchess of
Mecklenburg-Strelitz. “Reginae” means “of the Queen.” The bird
of paradise has long, leathery leaves and orange flowers encased
in a purplish bract.