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Glossary entry

Spanish term or phrase:

Una de gato (tilde on "n")

English translation:

cat's claw

Added to glossary by liz askew
May 14, 2008 12:06
16 yrs ago
1 viewer *
Spanish term

Una de gato (tilde on "n")

Spanish to English Science Botany Wild Flowers/Plants
Is there a plant/flower expert out there. I am unable to ascertain whether this is a "marigold" or "mesenbryanthemum".

It is also known as "Carpobrotus affine acinaciformis" and "bálsamo", and is a Mediterranean flower/plant/weed.

Thank you for any enlightenment.

Liz Askew
Proposed translations (English)
5 +1 Cat's claw/catsclaw
4 +1 Sally-my-handsome
4 Mesembryanthemum
3 +1 comments
2 hottentot fig marigold
Change log

May 14, 2008 12:58: liz askew Created KOG entry

Discussion

liz askew (asker) May 14, 2008:
The point is that I am not changing the glossary because it is correct :-)
liz askew (asker) May 14, 2008:
Yes, I have realised that Dr. - I have scrubbed "Cat's claw" from the original translation and replaced this with "Sally-my-handsome". The confusion arose because the original Spanish was wrong in the context of my text. All is now clear and well. Thanks!
Dr. Andrew Frankland May 14, 2008:
I suggest using a different translation and adding the Latin name in brackets.
Dr. Andrew Frankland May 14, 2008:
Uña de gato indeed translate as cat's claw, but if you use the name "cat's claw" in English then you will not be referring to the flower with the Latin name Caprobrotus acinaciformis.
liz askew (asker) May 14, 2008:
Hello everybody.

Seems that this flower is known as "Sally-my-handsome/hottentot fig marigold/mesenbryanthemum". i.e. Carpobrotus affine acinaciformis.
I have checked all the photographs and they all look the same as the one in my Spanish text.

However

Una de gato is still "cat's claw".
liz askew (asker) May 14, 2008:
Yes, you are right John. The picture I have in front of me with the translation is exactly the same as in Wiki...

There is an error in the original Spanish then!

Will bring this to the attention of the agency.

Much appreciated :-)
John Cutler May 14, 2008:
I'm fairly convinced it's like this plant but the Latin name isn't exactly the same http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carpobrotus_edulis
liz askew (asker) May 14, 2008:
Do you know, I have just done something very foolish - I have looked at a picture of cat's claw on the web, and it is nothing like the photograph I have in the journal I am translating (which looks like a large daisy with pink flowerheads - i.e. marigold/mesenbryanthemum)

I am confused now.
liz askew (asker) May 14, 2008:
100% positive as it appears about 6 times, all with the same spelling.

CARPOBROTUS AFFINE ACINACIFORMIS

Should you discover anything exceptional, please let me know. This is to be published!
John Cutler May 14, 2008:
Hi Liz, are you sure that's the right Latin name for the plant?

Proposed translations

+1
6 mins
Selected

Cat's claw/catsclaw

http://www.all-natural.com/catsclaw.html

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 7 minutos (2008-05-14 12:13:44 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Cat's Claw (Uncaria tomentosa)
http://www.kcweb.com/herb/catsclaw.htm

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 7 minutos (2008-05-14 12:14:29 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

I am not an expert, but I hope this is useful.
Note from asker:
This is the correct translation. The problem is the Latin. It should have been Carpobrotus edulis. There seems to have been an error in the original Spanish test:-)
Peer comment(s):
agree Dolores Vázquez
12 mins
Muchas gracias
disagree DLyons : That's a different species (Spanish name is coincidence). See the subsequent comment of Dr. Andrew Frankland: 3:12pm May 14, 2008
47 mins
Thanks, I would like you to explain this is possible
agree Egmont
3 hrs
Gracias
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Muchísimas gracias! I could not get "nail" out of my head! rather than thinking about "claw"!!"
+1
42 mins

Sally-my-handsome

Note from asker:
You deserve some points too, John! The glossary entry is correct though, but we have solved the problem. Thank you for looking into this. It's just as well too that I actually looked to see what "cat's claw" looked like. You can imagine the puzzled look on my face!
You may well have seen this flower in your travels in Spain..
Peer comment(s):
agree Rachel Fell : Carpobrotus acinaciformis - though haven't heard this "Sally..." name before
2 hrs
Thanks Rachel. Actually, I worked as a gardener for several years here in Spain and I always called it Lion's Claw (though I think that was a literal translation I may have invented myself) : ) In Catalàn it's called "ungla de lleò".
Something went wrong...
52 mins

Mesembryanthemum

Also Hottentots Fig , Icicle Plant, Strand Ivy, Cape Fig, Hottentots Fig, and Sour Fig.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carpobrotus
Reference:

http://www.aluka.org/action/showCompilationPage?doi=10.5555/AL.AP.COMPILATION.PLANT-NAME-SPECIES.CARPOBROTUS.ACINACIFORMIS&cookieSet=1

http://pagesperso-orange.fr/gonzales.manuel/textes/la%20mer/Plantes_a_fleurs/carpobrotus_edulis.html

Note from asker:
John Cutler has the correct answer as his picture tallies with the one I have in my Spanish test - there was an error in the Spanish text
I take your point about mesenbrybryanthemum.. I have looked at all this pictures and it looks like a "mes...." to me!
Something went wrong...
52 mins
Spanish term (edited): Una de gato

hottentot fig marigold

I'm no expert either but this plant appears to belong to the mesembryanthemum family.
Reference:

http://www.tiuli.com/flower_info.asp?lng=eng&flower_id=243

Note from asker:
Hi This looks like the picture I have too - perhaps it is known as hottentot fig marigold and sally-my-handsome. Phew!
Something went wrong...
+1
3 hrs

comments

I know you've closed it... but it's neither a mesembryanthemum or a marigold; I'd avoid using the common name unless Latin name first and suggested common names afterwards - as it's not a native plant (but naturalised and a problem in many places where it's now to be found) the common names either don't exist in English (or are not widely known) or names tend to be less specific/less relevant and are often used to refer to several different species - e.g. ice plant
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carpobrotus

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 20 hrs (2008-05-15 08:59:10 GMT) Post-grading
--------------------------------------------------

e.g. confusion here: http://fichas.infojardin.com/crasas/carpobrotus-edulis-balsa...
- and not sure about in Sp. but several plants are called balsam in Eng. ...

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 day23 hrs (2008-05-16 11:26:22 GMT) Post-grading
--------------------------------------------------

I gather it USED to be classified under Mesembryanthemum - anyway, it also seems to be a problematically invasive species in lots of places!
Note from asker:
For the record I have used 1. Latin name first 2. Sally-my handsome second 3. Balsam third as this is how it appears in the original Sp text.
Peer comment(s):
agree John Cutler : You're right about the common names of plants being a nightmare to translate. Like the common names of fish!
17 hrs
Plus with this species, there seems to be much confusion as the name Hottentot fig (a name I know) is given to C. acinaciformis & C. edulis & they're also mixed in Spanish
Something went wrong...
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