156

Soil Taxonomy

Adjectives in Names of Extragrades and Their j\;feaning

Adjective

Derivation

Connotation

Abn1ptic ................... L. abruptus, torn off ......................................................... Abtupt textural change.

. 1 . .. . ... . . .. . .. . .. . .. .. . Gr. aerzos,
. a1r
. .. . ... . . .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. . ... . . .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. . .. . .. A
.
erat1on.
A er1c
Albic ........................ L. albus, white ................................................................. Presence of an albic horizon.
Alic .......................... Modified from aluminun1 ................................................ High AP+ status.
Anionic .................... Gr. anion .......................................................................... Positively charged colloid.
Anthraquic ............... Modified fr01n Gr. anthropos, hmnan, and
L. aqua , water ................................................................ Controlled flooding.
Anthropic ................. Modified from Gr. anthropos, hmnan ............................. An anthropic epipedon.
Arenic ...................... L. arena, sand .................................................................. Sandy 1naterial between 50 and 100 c1n thick.
Calcic ....................... L. calis, li1ne .................................................................... Presence of a calcic horizon.
Chrotnic ................... Gr. chroma, color ............................................................. High clu01na.
Cumulic ................... L. cumulus, heap .............................................................. Thickened epipedon.
Durinodic ................. L. durus, hard .................................................................. Presence of durinodes.
Eutric ....................... Modified fr01n Gr. eu, good; eutrophic, fertile ............... High base status.
Fragic ....................... Modified fr01n L. fi"agilis, brittle .................................... Presence of fragic properties.
Glacic ....................... L. glacialis, icy ................................................................ Presence of ice lenses or wedges.
Glossic ..................... Gr. glossa, tongue ............................................................ Tongued horizon boundaries.
Grossarenic .............. L. grossus, thick, and L. arena, sand .............................. Thick sandy layer.
Gypsic ...................... L. gypsum, gypsum .......................................................... Presence of a gypsic horizon.
Halic ........................ Gr. hals, salt ..................................................................... Salty.
Hutnic ...................... L. humus, earth ................................................................ Presence of organic matter.
Hydric ...................... Gr. hydor, water ............................................................... Presence of water.
Kandic ..................... Modified from kandite ..................................................... Presence of 1: 1 layer silicate clays.
Latnellic ................... L. lamella, dim ................................................................ Presence of lamellae.
Leptic ....................... Gr. leptos, thin ................................................................. A thin soil.
Li1nnic ..................... Modified fr01n Gr. limn , lake .......................................... Presence of a litnnic layer.
Lithic ....................... Gr. lithos, stone ............................................................... Presence of a shallow lithic contact.
Natric ....................... Modified fr01n natrium, sodium ...................................... Presence of sodiun1.
Nitric ........................ Modified frotn nitron ....................................................... Presence of nitrate salts.
Ombroaquic ............. Gr. om bros, rain, and aquic ............................................. Surface w etness.
Oxyaquic .................. Oxy, representing oxygen, and aquic .............................. Aerated.
Pachic ...................... Gr. pachys, thick .............................................................. A thick epipedon.
Petrocalcic ............... Gr. petra, rock, and calcic from calcimn ........................ Presence of a petrocalcic horizon.
Petro ferric ................ Gr. petra, rock, and L. ferrum , iron ................................ Presence of a petroferric contact (ironstone).
Petrogypsic .............. Gr. petra, rock, and L. gypsum, gypsum ......................... Presence of a petrogypsic horizon.
Petronodic ................ Modified from petra, rock, and nodulus, a little knot .... Presence of concretions and/or nodules.
Placic ....................... Gr. base of plax, flat stone ............................................... Presence of a thin pan (placic horizon).
Plinthic .................... Modified fr01n Gr. plinthos, brick ................................... Presence of plinthite.
Rho die ...................... Gr. base of rhodon , rose .................................................. Dark red color.
Ruptic 1 ..................... L. ruptum, broken ............................................................ Inten11ittent or broken horizons.
So die ........................ Modified from sodium ..................................................... Presence of sodium salts.
S01nbric .................... F. sombre, dark ................................................................ Presence of a s01nbric horizon.
Sulfic ........................ L. sulfur, sulfur ................................................................ Presence of sulfides or their oxidation products.
Terrie ....................... L. terra, earth .................................................................. A tnineral substratmn.
Thapto(ic) 1 ............... Gr. thapto, buried ............................................................ A buried soil.
Umbric ..................... L. base of umbra, shade ................................................... Presence of an umbric epipedon.
Xanthic .................... Gr. xanthos ...................................................................... Yellow.
1

Not strictly an ext:ragrade. Name used to indicate a special departure from the Typic subgroup.