mahonia
UK[məˈhəʊniə]US[məˈhoʊniə]
n
A genus of evergreen shrubs of the barberry family, native to Asia and North and Central America, having spiny leaves and clusters of yellow flowers followed by blue or purple berries.
Etymology
The word 'mahonia' is a modern Latin creation, coined by the American botanist Thomas Nuttall in 1818. He named the genus in honor of his friend and fellow horticulturist, Bernard McMahon, an Irish-American nurseryman who authored an important early American gardening manual. The name was formed by taking McMahon's surname and adapting it with the '-ia' suffix, a common Latin ending used in botanical and zoological taxonomy to form genus names. Thus, the word's logic is not based on descriptive morphemes but on commemorative nomenclature, where a personal name is Latinized to fit the conventions of scientific classification.
Analysis
This is a modern Latin genus name, formed as a single, unsegmentable unit in scientific nomenclature.
Examples
The leatherleaf mahonia provides winter interest with its holly-like foliage and bright yellow flowers.
Mahonia berries are sometimes used to make jellies, though they can be quite tart.
This shady corner of the garden is perfect for planting a low-growing mahonia.