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Tutor: Peter Wrapson
Date: Thursday 20 August 2026
Time: 10 am - 1 pm
Cost: £40
Location: Classroom


Latin has long been the shared language of botany, used to describe, classify and communicate about plants across the world. This half-day beginner-friendly course offers an accessible introduction to the fascinating language that underpins plant names and scientific classification. We’ll start with a brief history of botanical Latin and an exploration of how the binomial naming system developed to bring order to the plant kingdom. You’ll learn the basic grammar behind plant names, explore how these words reveal clues about a plant’s features and origins and cover the major Latin and Latin-derived terms used to describe plant morphology. The session will finish with a guided tour of the Garden, where you’ll put your new knowledge to the test by collectively interpreting plant labels and discussing the stories behind their names.

No prior knowledge of Latin or botany is required, though some familiarity with simple grammatical terms is desirable.

Detailed Description

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Cancellations, Refunds & Amendments

Cancellations

If you need to cancel your booking, please inform the Learning Office in writing as soon as possible at 1 Brookside, Cambridge CB2 1JE or email education@botanic.cam.ac.uk The cancellation is effective from the date that your written confirmation is received. If you cancel with more than 4 weeks' notice we will refund your balance less 20% to cover administration. For cancellations made with less than 4 weeks' notice we regret that we are unable to make any refund unless we can fill your place on the course. If we are able to fill your place we will refund your balance less 20% to cover administration.

Amendments

Cambridge University Botanic Garden reserves the right to alter any part of the programme if necessary. We will only cancel courses after careful consideration, but reserve the right to do so under exceptional circumstances. In the event of a cancellation, participants will be informed in writing as soon as possible and course fees will be refunded in full.