Latin and Taxonomy
Ferns, as with all botany, and biology, uses Latin names as the official names of species. The Latin names make sure there is no confusion in the species being discussed. Even in a local region there can be many different common names for the same species.
Writing the Latin names just comes with memorization. One can write the names and not pronounce them properly. Almost all English speakers do not speak Latin (except those in and around Cambridge, England).
Pteris is the Latin name for fern. Pterodactyl is a word that most grade school children can pronounce without difficulty. [Pterodactyl – winged lizard, ptero-wing, dactyl-lizard] Ferns are 'winged shaped', no?
Ptera is the Latin suffix meaning wing.
Fern names are replete with the use of pteris. Found in the family, genus, and specie names. Sometimes more than once. Makes sense.
Pronouncing other Latin names is more of a challenge.
This website by Peter Ommundsen is a very good guide to pronounce Latin names.
The Latin used in names is the Latin adopted in 1500s and onward and not the original Roman Latin.
All letters of the name are pronounced. There are no silent letters.
One can also use Google Translate to hear the Latin names. (I have noticed Google Translate uses the same voice for Latin as for Italian, mmmm.)
Dryopteris
The pronunciation of this Latin name, the name for a very large genus of ferns, is a word for which I have issues.
It is made up of two words, dryo-wood, and pteris-fern. This is the genus of 'wood ferns', appropriate.
Everyone I have met with knowledge of ferns have pronounced it dry-op-teris.
My pronunciation is dryo-pteris, keeping to the root words.
Your opinion?