In botany, the term “silicicola” is derived from Latin, where “silici-” refers to silica or sand and “-cola” means dweller or inhabitant.

When used as a specific epithet in botanical nomenclature, “silicicola” typically indicates that the plant species is a dweller of or is adapted to sandy or siliceous soils.

Essentially, it’s a descriptor to convey the habitat preference or ecological adaptation of a plant species.

Example: Juniperus virginiana var. silicicola is the Southern Redcedar and is the Larval Host Plant for the Juniper Hairstreak Butterfly and a few moths.