"Telopea speciosissima", the New South Wales Waratah, was first described by botanist James Edward Smith in his 1793 book "A Specimen of the Botany of New Holland", from "very fine dried specimens sent by Mr. White". He gave the species its original binomial name of "Embothrium speciosissimum". The specific epithet is derived from the superlative of the Latin word "speciosus" "beautiful" or "handsome", hence "very-" or "most beautiful". "Embothrium" had been a wastebasket taxon at the time, and Robert Brown suggested the genus "Telopea" for it in 1809, which was published in 1810. Richard Salisbury had published the name "Hylogyne speciosa" in 1809, but Brown's name was nomenclaturally conserved.