Euphorbia caput-medusae (Medusa's Head) is a unique succulent plant that forms a rosette of numerous gray-green, snake-like branches from …
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Epithet: caput-medusae
Meaning: Medusa's head
Derivation: A New Latin descriptive epithet made up of two Latin words: the noun "caput," meaning "head," and "Medusae," genitive of the proper noun "Medusa," the famous Gorgon from Greek mythology."
Pronunciation: KAY-put me-DOO-say
Alternative Pronunciation: KAY-put me-DOO-see
While the generic name must be unique, two or more genera often share the same specific epithet. Moreover, the same epithet can be used for subspecies, varieties, and forms within a species. Here is a list of plants that share this epithet.
Astrophytum caput-medusae is an unusual cactus with a cylindrical, very reduced stem and long, green, usually cylindrical or triangular …