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Is there any reason why some well-known plant names, especially tree names, are feminine, but 2nd declension? (now interested in classical, not scientific ones). For example:

double-beep
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Vladimir F Героям слава
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    You might find this useful https://latin.stackexchange.com/q/7353/39 – Alex B. Sep 06 '21 at 15:47
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    and you might learn something from https://latin.stackexchange.com/a/7017/39 – Alex B. Sep 06 '21 at 15:57
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    I hope someone else will answer this very interesting question. Meanwhile, a somewhat cryptic note from Weiss 2020, "In Greek and Latin, tree and plant names are regularly feminine, probably preserving an old pattern" (p. 243). – Alex B. Sep 06 '21 at 19:02
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    @AlexB. it doesn't seem like this question is going to get an answer :( Do you think you could post one based on the points you've made above? – double-beep Dec 28 '21 at 11:13
  • A related wordreference thread: https://forum.wordreference.com/threads/gendering-trees.3361383/ – Asteroides Dec 28 '21 at 23:44
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    Also see https://latin.stackexchange.com/q/10939/39 – Alex B. Dec 29 '21 at 03:20
  • Grosheva 2005 (Грошева 2005) Индоевропейское наследие в латинских названиях деревьев, in Hrda manasa, pp. 252-272. This is a festschrift in honor of L.G. Herzenberg, a famous Russian linguist. – Alex B. Dec 29 '21 at 04:45
  • @double-beep short answer: we don’t know. I might summarize some relevant info some time later, when I have free time – Alex B. Dec 29 '21 at 04:53
  • I don't know either, but I wonder whether there is some conflation between these nouns and the feminine noun arbor, meaning "tree". – Figulus Apr 30 '22 at 04:09

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It is the principle of feminine, that gives birth. Not all plants are feminine, but e.g. trees are, while fruit is in general neuter. E.g. malus, -i, f. (apple tree) and malum, -i, n. (apple). Not all are second declension, like quercus, -us, f. or ilex, -icis, f. In Latin, except for many plants, feminine are also for the same reason earth and parts, like islands and states - Sicilia, Sardinia, Hispania,Gallia, Italia, Illyria ... on the other side masculine is what fertilize, like winds, that carry semen, rivers, parts of great Oceanus that embraces the Earth like man does to a woman... Also, when they come from Greek, it could be feminine because it was feminine in Greek... not only connected with plant names e.g. dialectus, -i, f.

Angela
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  • I just noticed that all edible-fruit-bearing trees and shrubs that are native to temperate Europe are feminine in Polish, with exception of orzech "walnut" (not exactly a typical fruit) and agrest "gooseberry" (a loan from Latin, so it probably doesn't count; also, it has multiple native synonyms that are feminine, like kosmatka). So there might be something to it. – Karol S May 10 '22 at 11:17