Sativa,^[1] sativus,^[2] and sativum^[3] are Latin botanical adjectives meaning cultivated. It is often associated botanically with plants that promote good health and used to designate certain seed-grown domestic crops.^[4]

Usage

Sativa (ending in -a) is the feminine form of the adjective, but masculine (-us) and neuter (-um) endings are also used to agree with the gender of the nouns they modify; for example, the masculine Crocus sativus and neuter Pisum sativum.

List of plant names containing sativum

Examples of crops incorporating this word and its variations into their Latin name include:

• Allium sativum, garlic.
• Avena sativa, the common oat.
• Cannabis sativa, one of three forms of cannabis.^[5]
• Castanea sativa, sweet chestnut.
• Coriandrum sativum, coriander, also known as cilantro, an annual herb.
• Crocus sativus, the saffron crocus.
• Cucumis sativus, the cucumber.
• Daucus carota subsp. sativus, the carrot, a plant species.
• Eruca sativa, the rocket or arugula, a leaf vegetable.
• Hordeum sativum, barley.
• Lactuca sativa, lettuce.
• Lepidium sativum, garden cress.
• Medicago sativa, alfalfa.
• Nigella sativa, a flower whose edible seeds are sometimes known as "black cumin" or "black caraway".
• Oryza sativa, rice.
• Pastinaca sativa., parsnip, a root vegetable closely related to the carrot and parsley; all belong to the family Apiaceae.
• Pisum sativum, pea plant.
• Ribes sativum, the whitecurrant