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PLANT NAMES 
 
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NATURE LOVER'S SSRISS 
 
 PLANT NAMES 
 
 BY 
 
 T. S. LINDSAY, B.D. 
 
 ARCHDEACON OF DUBLIN 
 
 LONDON 
 
 THE SHELDON PRESS 
 
 NORTHUMBERLAND AVENUE, W.C. 
 
 NEW YORK AND TORONTO: THE MACMILLAN CO. 
 1923 
 
Printed in Great Britain. 
 
PREFACE 
 
 It is very unlikely that all the derivations given 
 in this book are correct, and learned readers must 
 form their own judgment in each case. For even 
 the soundest etymologists resort to conjecture 
 sometimes, and there is no branch of learning in 
 which it is more useful. I can only say that I 
 consulted the best authorities, and that when a 
 derivation seemed doubtful I said so. But a critic 
 will find plenty of marks at which to have a shot, 
 and when the attempt has been made to explain 
 over a thousand names there is sure to be difference 
 of opinion about some, probably many, of them. 
 
 I hope, however, that my readers will not be 
 backward in letting me know if they discover errors, 
 and if they are kind enough to do so careful notes 
 will be taken with a view to a second edition, 
 should such be called for. I shall also be grateful 
 for suggestions as to additional names to be ex- 
 plained, or, indeed, as to any new facts or the 
 discussion of new subjects which may add to the 
 interest or usefulness of the book. I should like 
 
vi PREFACE 
 
 to think of my readers as collaborators, friends 
 going round their gardens and through the fields 
 and woodlands, and sharing with me the desire to 
 know the meaning and origin of the names of the 
 trees and flowers which we love. 
 
 I have to express my obligations to Miss White, 
 LL.D., Principal of the Alexandra College, Dublin; 
 to Miss May Crosbie; to Sir Frederick W. Moore, 
 F.R.H.S., late Director of the Royal Botanic 
 Gardens, Glasnevin; to the Rev. Canon Kingsmill 
 Moore, D.D., Principal of the Church of Ireland 
 Training College, Dublin; to R. Lloyd Praeger, 
 Esq., Librarian of the National Library of Ireland; 
 to Lieut. -Colonel Sir John Ross of Bladensburg, 
 K.C.B., K.C.V.O.; and to Colonel the Hon. M. G- 
 Talbot, C.B., who most kindly helped me in 
 various ways. 
 
 Malahide, 
 
 Co. Dublin. 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 PAGE 
 
 History and Principles of Plant Naming - 7 
 
 Pronunciation, Spelling, and Gender - - 23 
 
 Names whose Meanings are not Known - -30 
 
 Medicinal Names - - - - - 33 
 
 Fancy Names - - - - - -38 
 
 Commemorative Names - - - - 4^ 
 
 Names from Place of Origin - - - 44 
 
 Names from Use - - - - - 48 
 
 Classical Names - - - - - 5^ 
 
 Names from Likeness to Animals - - - 53 
 
 Names from Habitat - - - - 57 
 
 Descriptive Names - - - - - 59 
 
 Specific Names - - - - - 78 
 
 Index - - - - - - -87 
 
PLANT NAMES 
 
 This book is not intended for the learned, nor does 
 it pretend to treat the subject exhaustively. It is 
 for those of my fellow-gardeners who, like Shake- 
 speare, know " small Latin and less Greek." It is 
 meant to help them to understand, and by under- 
 standing to remember, those long, weird names of 
 trees, shrubs, and plants which appal the beginner 
 and excite the wondering admiration of the ignorant. 
 Once we know what a name means and why it was 
 given, it is easier to remember it, for it excites our 
 interest, just as we take more interest in the planets 
 and constellations when we know the names which 
 they have borne so long and learn their origin. 
 
 Some garden-lovers are content with the common 
 English names of flowers, such as Pansy or Daffodil. 
 These are probably not very advanced horticul- 
 turists, and if their interest widens they will soon 
 find themselves growing plants which have no 
 Enghsh names, and they will have to retain in their 
 minds by sheer force of memory hard, strange 
 names of whose meaning they have not the slightest 
 idea. Many gardeners, having accomplished this, 
 are so proud of it that they begin to despise the old 
 English names, and when their friends come to see 
 
 I 
 
2 PLANT NAMES 
 
 their gardens they will call a Forget-me-not Myo- 
 soHs, and a Wallflower Cheiranthus. This is really 
 a rather ridiculous pedantry; no first-rate gardener 
 will do it. As well might we in our ordinary talk 
 call an Oak Quercus, or a Daisy in the lawn Bellis 
 perennis. An old poet satirizes this habit : 
 
 " High-sounding words our worthy gardener gets, 
 And at his club to wondering swains repeats; 
 He there of Rhus and Rhododendron speaks, 
 And A Ilium calls his Onions and his Leeks ; 
 Here Arum, there Leontodons we view. 
 And Artemisia grows where Wormwood grew." 
 
 Perhaps pedantry of this kind has helped to 
 cause the popular prejudice against the scientific 
 terminology of plants. Why not, people sometimes 
 say, be satisfied with the popular English names ? 
 Is it fair to the lovely little flowers to Hnk them with 
 these horrid words ? And does it not scare away 
 beginners who find that they have to burden their 
 memories with a multitude of names which convey 
 no meaning to them ? 
 
 This prejudice against scientific names is unreason- 
 able. Every science has a whole vocabulary of 
 terms which repel the outsider. A boy gets in- 
 terested in moths or birds or stones, and he soon 
 finds that he has to learn plenty of long names 
 derived from Greek and Latin, which in a short 
 time become famihar to him. Why should Botany 
 be an exception ? 
 
 But really no science could dispense with such 
 words. For science is an international thing; 
 
PLANT NAMES 3 
 
 scientists of all nations are working together for 
 the discovery and turning to use of the secrets of 
 nature, and that would be greatly hindered if each 
 nation insisted on using its own terms, and there 
 were no international nomenclature. And such a 
 nomenclature, if formed of words of one living 
 language, would never prevail. But all will agree 
 to use one founded on Greek and Latin roots, the 
 knowledge of which is common to the learned in all 
 nations in the world. 
 
 But, in truth, these botanical names are extremely 
 interesting and instructive when one understands 
 their meaning. The person who gave a plant its 
 name had some reason for his choice. It may have 
 been thousands of years ago or only last year, but 
 if we can find out why he gave it we shall probably 
 know something about that plant, the country of 
 its origin, or its discoverer, or the habitat it loves, 
 or the useful purpose it served, or some medicinal 
 property which it possesses or was supposed to 
 possess, or some peculiarity which was thought to 
 be distinctive. Thus botanical names are interest- 
 ing, not only to the etymologist, as all words are, 
 but to the garden-lover. They tell him something 
 about his plants which he did not know before, and 
 he loves them all the more for knowing it. He is 
 familiar with the Geranium or Cranesbill, the 
 Pelargonium, and the Erodium. When he looks at 
 the beak-Hke formation of the ripe seed pod, how 
 glad he is to know that geranos is the Greek for a 
 crane, pelargos for a stork, and erodios for a heron. 
 
4 PLANT NAMES 
 
 He is also pleased to recognise the felicity of the 
 name Columbine, from columha, a dove, when he 
 sees the doves with arched necks and fluttering 
 wings clustered around its lovely bloom. 
 
 There is still another way in which plants' names 
 convey useful instruction. I will explain it by two 
 illustrations. 
 
 It is well known that most of our tree fruits come 
 to us from Southern Europe and the region surround- 
 ing the Mediterranean, and accordingly we find 
 their names derived from the Greek and Latin 
 languages. Such are the Peach, the Pear, the 
 Apricot, the Nectarine, the Damson, the Plum, and 
 the Prune. These are anghcized forms of the old 
 Greek and Latin names which have reached us after 
 passing through some Romance tongue — French, 
 ItaHan, or Spanish. There is, I think, but one 
 exception to this rule. The word " apple " is of 
 the Teutonic stock, and accordingly we find that 
 the Apple is the only tree fruit of any importance 
 that is indigenous to the north of Europe. The 
 same is true of forest trees. The Oak, Holm Oak, 
 Ash, Beech, Hornbeam, Yew, Hawthorn, Holly, 
 Aspen, Maple, Lime, Alder, and Elder all have 
 Teutonic names, indicating that they grew in 
 northern countries in ancient times. The names of 
 the Cypress, Elm, Chestnut, Poplar, Fig, Myrtle, Box, 
 Sycamore, Pine, and Larch are words of southern 
 origin, showing that these trees came from the south. 
 
 This principle runs through the whole hst of 
 plant names, and, therefore, to know the region 
 
PLANT NAMES 5 
 
 from which the name of any plant came affords a 
 fair presumption of the region where it is indigenous. 
 From the names of species, too, which are generally 
 descriptive, the gardener can sometimes get valu- 
 able hints. When he finds a plant described as 
 himalaicus, caucasicus, alpinus, or montanus, he 
 knows that it is at home on high elevations ; or if it 
 is called canadensis, sihericus, or arcticus, he knows 
 that it will stand a severe winter. If it is japonicus 
 or atlanticus, he may count on its being fairly hardy. 
 If it is chilensis or mexicanus, he will plant it in a 
 warm, sheltered place or against a south wall. And 
 if it is javanicus or madagascarensis, he will con- 
 sider it a fit subject for a hot-house. If, again, it is 
 labelled aquaticus, paludosus, or lacustris, he infers 
 that it will not thrive except by the pond-side or in 
 swampy ground. 
 
 The study of popular plant names is quite dis- 
 tinct from that of the botanical names. Every 
 country has its own names ; consequently, these can- 
 not be used internationally, and are not regarded 
 by botanists. But they are very interesting, and 
 throw light on the character of the various races, 
 their folklore, their superstitions, their imagination, 
 their sense of beauty and poetical fancy. What a 
 picture, for example, does the name Goldregen or 
 Goldrain, the German for the Laburnum, bring before 
 our eyes ! It is truer than even Tennyson's " drop- 
 ping wells of fire." 
 
 In our country very few names have come down 
 to us from pre-Saxon times, except from Celtic 
 
6 PLANT NAMES 
 
 districts such as Ireland, Wales, and Cornwall. 
 Most names are of Anglo-Saxon origin. And even 
 of these many were adapted from the Latin, generally 
 by the monks, who were in those times the only 
 people who had any scholarship or any smattering 
 of botanical knowledge. Plantain, for instance, 
 is the anglicized form of Plantago, and Daffodil of 
 Asphodelus. Some were translations, as Loose- 
 strife from Lysimachia. 
 
 But a great many of our Anglo-Saxon popular 
 names are of Teutonic stock. Such are all ending 
 in " lick " or " lock " (from which Leek), meaning 
 a plant, as Charlock and Garlic. (The " gar " in 
 this last word meant a spear or sharp point. It is 
 alhed to the verb " to gore.") 
 
 In the North of England names sometimes come 
 from Norse and Danish sources, and roughly indicate 
 the limits of their settlements, just as do " by " and 
 *' thwaite," as terminations of town and village 
 names. Rowan is such a name. It is connected 
 with rune, a charm, and was so called because it was 
 supposed to avert the evil eye. A good many names 
 of common plants are also derived from the Dutch 
 or Old High German — Buckwheat, e.g., where buck 
 is beech, the seeds being considered to be like beech- 
 mast. Then a vast number of names come to us 
 directly from the French, ultimately from Greek and 
 Latin. Dandelion is Dent de lion (the Hon's tooth). 
 Mushroom is from the French Mousseron, which 
 came from the Latin muscus (from which also moss), 
 a moorland, referring to its habitat. 
 
PLANT NAMES 
 
 HISTORY OF PLANT NAMING 
 
 The first real attempt to put botanical nomen- 
 clature on a scientific basis was made by Theo- 
 phrastus, a Greek philosopher who lived from 370 
 to 286 B.C. He was the favourite pupil and the 
 successor of the celebrated Aristotle, who bequeathed 
 to him his library and the originals of his works. He 
 presided over the peripatetic school of philosophy 
 in Athens for thirty-five years, and left to it his 
 garden, with house and colonnades, as a permanent 
 seat of instruction. He was a man of wide and 
 varied intellectual interests, and wrote books 
 on biological, metaphysical, astronomical, ethical, 
 political, and rhetorical subjects. But most of 
 these have been lost, and by far the most important 
 that have come down to us are two large botanical 
 treatises, " On the Study of Plants," and " On the 
 Causes of Plants." The first of these contained ten 
 books, of which nine have survived. We should not 
 expect a pioneer like Theophrastus to produce a 
 work of scientific accuracy, but, imperfect as it 
 necessarily was, it commands our admiration, and 
 it was a help and stimulus to his successors in the 
 same field. He describes about five hundred species 
 of plants, but his chief interest in them lay in their 
 medicinal properties. 
 
 In the reign of the Roman Emperor Nero — that is, 
 in the first century of our era— another Greek, an 
 
8 PLANT NAMES 
 
 army doctor named Dioscorides, wrote a book on 
 Materia Medica, in which he describes the virtues 
 of many plants and calls them by their current 
 names. 
 
 About the same time, or a little later, the same 
 subject was treated by the elder Pliny, who was 
 Admiral of the Roman fleet, and perished in the 
 great eruption of Vesuvius, a.d. 79, that destroyed 
 Pompeii. Like Theophrastus, he was a man of 
 great intellectual activity, and interested in many 
 subjects. He was not only a sailor, but a soldier, 
 a lawyer, and a philosopher, an insatiable reader 
 and a voluminous writer. He tells us that much of 
 his literary work was done in hours stolen from 
 sleep. Among other treatises, he wrote fifty books 
 of history, and he left a hundred and fifty notebooks 
 of extracts written, as his nephew, the younger 
 Pliny, tells us, in a very small script on both sides 
 of the page. All are lost with the exception of his 
 " Naturalis Historia," in thirty-seven books, which 
 is preserved in nearly a complete state. Of this 
 huge work, sixteen books treat of trees and plants, 
 two of which are concerned with their medicinal 
 properties. And as in them he enumerates about 
 five hundred species by name, they are valuable 
 from our present point of view. The information 
 they give is not, however, so useful as one might 
 suppose, because it is often doubtful whether we 
 can with any certainty identify the plants to 
 which he refers. There is no source of error and of 
 quarreUing so frequent and mischievous as the use 
 
PLANT NAMES 9 
 
 of the same word to signify two different things. 
 How much poHtical and reHgious wrangHng would 
 have been saved if men had only made sure that 
 they meant the same thing by the language they 
 used ! And so it is in Botany. Some of the 
 names used by Pliny certainly refer now to plants 
 different from those to which he applied them, and 
 of many it is doubtful. The incorrect use of names 
 is a fruitful source of error. People usually call the 
 Philadelphus a Syringa. They suppose the Moun- 
 tain Ash to be a species of Ash (Fraxinus), when it is 
 really a Pear (Pyrus), and they imagine what they 
 call the Asparagus Fern to be of the Fern family. 
 And so it is of the first importance in plant nomen- 
 clature that all botanists in the world should agree 
 to adopt one name for each plant, and that this 
 name should unquestionably identify its owner, so 
 far as possible, with the same plant as that referred 
 to by writers in past times. 
 
 But even with this reserve the work of Phny is of 
 great value. With all its faults it is an astounding 
 monument of industry, and it proved of inestimable 
 service for centuries in fixing plant names. " The 
 work of Pliny," says Cuvier, " is one of the most 
 precious monuments that have come down to us 
 from ancient times, and affords proof of an astonish- 
 ing amount of erudition in one who was a warrior 
 and a statesman." 
 
 After Phny, httle was done in classifying and 
 naming plants for many centuries, the chief work 
 in Botany, as in other sciences, being done by the 
 
 2 
 
10 PLANT NAMES 
 
 clever Moors who invaded Southern Europe, 
 especially Spain, after the incursions of the northern 
 barbarians had ceased. But their interest in Botany, 
 too, lay in the medicinal use of plants, and a number 
 of them compiled Herbals treating of " Simple 
 Medicines," afterwards shortened to " Simples." 
 From that time until the invention of printing 
 Botany made no progress. Then came the great 
 revival of learning and interest in all branches of 
 knowledge known as the Renaissance, which owed 
 its rise to three main causes: the invention of 
 printing, the dispersal through Europe of the 
 scholars and books of Constantinople after its 
 capture by the Turks in 1452, and the discovery of 
 the New World. The works of classical authors 
 were printed and eagerly studied. Pliny appeared 
 in book form in 1468, Dioscorides in 1478, and 
 Theophrastus in 1483. With the discovery of 
 America there was a great increase of new plants 
 supplying articles of food or luxury, or prized for 
 their beauty. This greatly stimulated the art of 
 gardening in Europe, and it became a favourite 
 hobby with the wealthy and with patrons of 
 learning to employ those skilled in horticulture 
 to lay out and manage their gardens. Anne of 
 Cleves, one of the wives of Henry the Eighth, 
 was devoted to this pursuit, and helped to make it 
 fashionable. Choice trees, vegetables, and flowers 
 were imported into England; but still the main 
 interest lay in the supposed medicinal virtues 
 of plants. Some of the cures were very quaint. 
 
PLANT NAMES ii 
 
 In the " Grete Herbal," published in 15 16, we 
 find a cure — 
 
 " For Dronkennesse. 
 
 " To eschewe dronkennesse, drink the iuce of 
 bryony with as moche vyneyger, and he shal not 
 be dronke al that weke." 
 
 It would seem a simpler plan to abstain from 
 intoxicants ! 
 
 Again : 
 
 " For Bytinge of a Wood (Mad) Dogge. 
 
 " And if walnuts be stamped with salte and an 
 onyon they be good for byting of a wood dogge if 
 it be layde thereto." 
 
 On the continent of Europe, too, there was much 
 botanical investigation, and the names of some of 
 the eminent botanists of the time are enshrined for 
 ever in those of famihar plants. The Fuchsia is 
 called after Fuchs, a German physician, who pub- 
 lished in 1542 a " History of Plants." Lonicera, 
 to which genus the Honeysuckle belongs, is called 
 after Adam Lonicer, of Frankfort, who died in 1586. 
 Lobelia is from Lobel, a Belgian physician, who died 
 in London in 1616. Matthiola, the Stock, com- 
 memorates Matthioli, an Itahan physician who 
 wrote a commentary on the works of Dioscorides. 
 Magnolia is from Pierre Magnol, who lived from 
 1638 to 1715. Other botanists of the time in whose 
 honour genera are named were Gesner of Zurich, 
 
12 PLANT NAMES 
 
 Csesalpinus of Arezzo, Alpini of Padua, Gerard of 
 Cheshire, and Turner, an EngHsh clergyman. 
 
 During the seventeenth century a fair amount of 
 work was done in classifying plants, studying their 
 nature and culture, and fixing their names. But in 
 the eighteenth century Linnaeus arose, that never- 
 to-be-forgotten enthusiast to whom the science of 
 Botany owes so much. He was a Swede, born in 
 1707, the son of a poor clergyman. By his abihty, 
 his untiring industry, and his unconquerable resolu- 
 tion, he rose to be an eminent physician. Botanist 
 to the King, President of the Swedish Academy of 
 Science, and Professor of Botany at Upsala Uni- 
 versity, and was finally raised to the nobility, and 
 became wealthy enough to purchase a fine estate. 
 He was elected a member of all the learned societies 
 of Europe, and, when he died, v/as buried in the 
 Cathedral of Upsala. The whole University went 
 into mourning, and the King expressed the national 
 grief in a speech from the throne, and had a medal 
 struck to commemorate him. 
 
 Notwithstanding all the honour he received during 
 his life — enough to turn the heads of most men — 
 Linnaeus kept to the end the beautiful humility 
 which was natural to him. The desire was ex- 
 pressed that some plant should bear his name, and 
 he selected the little Linncea borealis as the most 
 appropriate. He described it as " this little 
 northern plant, long overlooked, depressed, abject, 
 flowering early," and he said that it reminded him 
 of the hardships and struggles of his own early life. 
 
PLANT NAMES 13 
 
 He loved this modest flower, and had it painted on 
 his teacups. It flourished in the most northerly 
 regions of Europe, Asia, and America, and in our 
 islands is only found in the east of Scotland and at 
 one place in Northumberland. 
 
 The story is well known how, on his visit to 
 England, he saw for the first time the stretch of 
 golden blossom on the Furze at Putney Heath, and 
 how he fell on his knees and thanked God for having 
 created a plant of such wondrous beauty. Indeed, 
 he united to his great gift of genius a deep piety, 
 and over his study door he had the motto painted, 
 *' Live innocently: God is present." 
 
 His work was generously appreciated in England, 
 and a Linnsean Society was formed, now one of 
 our great learned bodies. This society owns the 
 magnificent natural history collection which he 
 made. It contains 2,000 books and manuscripts, 
 3,198 insects, 1,564 shells, 2,424 minerals, and 
 19,000 plants. It was very nearly lost to our 
 country. Sir James Smith, an English botanist, 
 bought it from the widow of Linnaeus in 1784 for 
 900 guineas, and the Treasury agreed to forgo 
 Customs Duty. The King of Sweden, who had been 
 absent in France, returned just as the collection 
 had left the harbour on board the British vessel 
 Appearance. He immediately ordered a frigate 
 to pursue her. An exciting chase began, the 
 vessels under full sail and in sight of each other. 
 The frigate, however, failed to overtake the 
 Appearance; she sailed triumphantly up the 
 
14 PLANT NAMES 
 
 Thames and landed her precious freight safely in 
 London. 
 
 Linnaeus' work in Botany was twofold. First, 
 his system of classification, based on the number and 
 position of the stamens and pistils, the pollen-bearing 
 and seed-bearing parts of a plant, just as he classified 
 mammals by their teeth and birds by their beaks 
 and feet. It was not a sound system, for it some- 
 times groups plants together which have nothing 
 in common besides this particular set of organs. 
 Thus it happens that in the Linnsean system 
 Valerian, Butcher's Broom, Irises, and Sedges are 
 classed together. But defective as the system was, 
 it was extremely useful until the larger and truer 
 classification expounded by Bentham and Hooker 
 in England, and in a slightly different form by 
 Engler in Germany, superseded it. The other great 
 work of Linnaeus, with which we are concerned here, 
 was in nomenclature. In this department his work 
 was sound, and in essentials remains a law for 
 botanists. He laid down thirty-one canons, most 
 of which hold good to this day. His main idea was 
 to denote each plant by two names, referring to its 
 genus and species, the first being a substantive, the 
 second an adjective, agreeing with the first in 
 gender, or in some cases a substantive used adjec- 
 tivally. Before his time plants used to be iden- 
 tified by long Latin descriptions. Thus the Dog 
 Rose would be Rosa sylvestris vulgaris flore odorato 
 incarnato — that is, " the common Rose of the woods 
 with a sweet-scented, flesh-coloured flower." Lin- 
 
PLANT NAMES i5 
 
 naeus called it Rosa canina — that is, the Dog Rose. 
 This principle he applied not only to plants, but 
 to every mammal, bird, fish, reptile, and insect, 
 distinguishing each by a definite name of two Latin 
 or Greek words. Two words, giving the genus and 
 species, certainly do not give a complete definition 
 of a plant, but in practice they are sufficient to 
 identify it with reasonable accuracy, though they 
 do not take account of the varieties into which 
 species are subdivided nor of the larger classes 
 which contain them. Take, for instance, the 
 common Primrose. First, it is of the group of 
 Phanerogams or Spermatophyta — that is, of those 
 plants that have flowers and seeds, not of the 
 Fungi, Mosses, or Ferns. Secondly, it is of the 
 Angiosperm section of Phanerogams — that is, its 
 seeds are contained in a vessel, and not exposed. 
 Thirdly, of the Angiosperms it is of the Dicotyledon 
 division — that is, that when the seed germinates it 
 produces two primary leaves, not one. Fourthly, 
 it belongs to the Gamopetalae section of Dicotyle- 
 dons — that is, the petals that form the perianth are 
 united, not distinct. Fifthly, it belongs to the 
 Primulales cohort of Gamopetalae, and to the 
 division of Primulaceae. Sixthly, of the Primulaceae, 
 it is of the genus Primula and of the species Vulgaris, 
 and of this it may be double or fiore pleno, or one of 
 a dozen other varieties. But if you wish to indicate 
 " the Primrose by the river's brim," it is quite 
 sufficient to call it Primula vulgaris. 
 It may not, perhaps, be out of place to give at 
 
i6 PLANT NAMES 
 
 this point a brief statement of the principles of 
 classification adopted by botanists. We must not 
 suppose that the Creator made the vegetation that 
 we now find in the world divided into distinct com- 
 partments like those in a museum. Botanists have 
 done that for reasons of convenience, and the 
 arrangement of these divisions has been to a great 
 extent arbitrary. It used to be supposed that 
 variation in species was restricted by fixed limits, 
 and that when varieties appeared they tended to 
 revert to the parent form. It is now known that 
 variation is a continuous process, and may be 
 extended in any direction under the influence of 
 varying external conditions, so that new species 
 and genera are still appearing. Thus there is only 
 a difference of degree between a variety and a 
 species, between a species and a genus, and between 
 a genus and an order, and the classifying of any 
 plant, or set of plants, must be left to the judgment 
 of botanists. 
 
 It is then agreed, as the most convenient system, 
 to regard as a species a group of individual plants 
 which possess certain well-marked features in 
 common, and which propagate with each other. 
 But sometimes a species is subdivided into varieties, 
 each variety possessing some characteristic of less 
 importance than those which determine the species. 
 There is no central authority recognized by all to 
 settle these matters, consequently there is no 
 absolute agreement. Brassica oleracea, for instance, 
 is the Cabbage. Some botanists make this the 
 
PLANT NAMES 17 
 
 species, and B. botrytis or broccoli, B. cauliflora or 
 cauliflower, B. ftmbriata or borecole, B. napus or 
 rape, are varieties under it. Others make Brassica 
 the species and B. oleracea a variety with the others. 
 
 Then a group of species which possess in common 
 certain features of a more general nature is called 
 a genus, and in the same way genera are grouped 
 into families and families into orders. Thus the 
 Oaks, Chestnuts, and Beeches, which agree in having 
 their flowers in tassel-like clusters and their seeds 
 in the form of one-seeded nuts, make up the Beech 
 family, or FagacecB or Cupuliferce. So, too, the 
 Birches, or family of Betulacece, which have some 
 important features in common with the FagacecB, 
 are by some botanists grouped with them under the 
 order Fagales. And the plants, like Cabbage, whose 
 flowers consist of four petals like a cross, belong to 
 the family of Cruciferce. 
 
 Linnaeus' principle, then, was to give each plant 
 two names, defining its genus and its species. This 
 is called the binomial system. We often find 
 plants described by three names. The third defines 
 the variety. The Sweet William, for example, is 
 Dianthus barbatus, but we find in seedsmen's lists 
 a number of varieties, such as Carmine Beauty, 
 Diadem, or Giant White. These are not usually of 
 any botanical importance. The modern tendency 
 is to divide and again subdivide, and so we find a 
 Fern which rejoices in the name Athyrium Filix- 
 femina angustatum congestum ramulosum. It might 
 be a member of the Royal Family ! But only the 
 
i8 PLANT NAMES 
 
 first two words constitute the true name. The 
 others refer merely to varieties. 
 
 Another illustration of the length of the names 
 which botanists of those times had to memorize is 
 found in a letter to Linnseus from his friend Dillenius, 
 which contains the following passage : 
 
 ''In your last letter I find a plant gathered 
 in Charles Island, on the coast of Gothland, which 
 you judge to be Polygonum erectum angustifolium, 
 floribus candidis of Mentrelius, and Caryophylhim 
 saxatilis, foliis gramineis, umhellatis corymbis, C. 
 Bauhin; nor do I object. But it is by no means 
 Townsefort's Lychnis alpina linifolia multiflora, 
 perampla radice, whose flowers are more scattered 
 and leaves broader in the middle, though narrower 
 at the end." 
 
 Linnseus simply called the plant which Mentre- 
 lius and Bauhin denoted by these long names 
 Gypsophila fastigiata, and that is its name now. 
 
 If anyone discovers a new genus or a new species 
 of a known genus he can name it, and have the name 
 registered and accepted by botanists all over the 
 world by a process which I shall explain, but he is 
 free to proclaim that he has produced a new variety 
 and to name it without asking anyone's leave. But 
 then he cannot prevent others from calling it by 
 the name of their choice and claiming it as theirs. 
 Nurseryman Smith has got hold of a fine variety of 
 onion, and advertises it as Small's Superb Giant. 
 Nurseryman Jones gets some of the seed, grows it, 
 and next year announces Jones'' Mammoth Ne Plus 
 
PLANT NAMES 19 
 
 Ultra. There is no accepted law as to names of 
 varieties. But botanists heed them not.* 
 
 Linnaeus was careful so far as possible to preserve 
 the old generic names. But there were cases in 
 which he thought that a class of plants previously 
 regarded as a genus ought to be included under 
 another genus. He then used its former name as a 
 specific name. For example, Milfoil he placed under 
 the genus Achillea, and instead of coining a specific 
 name for it he called it Achillea Millefolium. Such 
 cases are exceptions to the rule that the specific 
 name is an adjective, and to mark the fact that 
 Millefolium is a substantive it is spelt with a capital, 
 and retains its original termination. The meadow 
 flower that used to be called Bistorta he put under 
 the Polygonums. Its proper name, therefore, is 
 not P. bistortum, but P. Bistorta. 
 
 Linnaeus, as I have said, laid down thirty-one 
 rules for the naming of plants, of which Lindley 
 remarks that they were undoubtedly excellent in 
 many respects, and that to them we must attribute 
 much of the perfection of natural history since his 
 time. But he adds that adherence to some of them 
 is impossible, and that these have fallen wholly into 
 disuse. There is, however, difference of opinion as to 
 which rules should be observed and which discarded. 
 
 * Some botanists do recognize botanical varieties as dis- 
 tinguished from horticultural. But such a distinction is 
 dif&cult to establish, and it would seem to contravene 
 Linnaeus' binomial rule, which is that two, and only two, 
 names should be botanically applicable to each plant. 
 
20 PLANT NAMES 
 
 Linnaeus, for instance, lays it down that no generic 
 name from barbarous languages should be admitted, 
 and that all languages are barbarous except Greek 
 and Latin. Lindley considered this rule to be quite 
 unworkable, but Sir J. E. Smith, another eminent 
 botanist, but of the Linnaean school, adopts it. He 
 says that without it we should be overwhelmed with 
 a torrent of uncouth and unmanageable words. But 
 even he admits some exceptions. He says: '' Per- 
 haps the barbarous names of some very local plants, 
 when they cannot possibly have been known pre- 
 viously by any other, and when that name is 
 harmonious and easily reconcilable to the Latin 
 tongue, may be admitted, as that of the Japan shrub 
 Aucuba; but such a word as Gingko is intolerable." 
 
 Linnaeus also lays down as inadmissible for generic 
 names those compounded of two entire words, such 
 as Crista-galli ; those formed of two Latin words, as 
 Sempervivum ; hybrids composed half of Greek and 
 half of Latin, as Cardamindum ; names ending in 
 -oides, as Aster oides ; names sounding like other 
 generic names ; names at variance with the character 
 of any of the species; and names given to gain the 
 favour of saints or of persons celebrated in other 
 sciences. He approves of names containing those 
 of ancient deities or of great botanists ; he desires to 
 retain the old names, be they good or bad, and he 
 approves most of all of those which express the 
 essential character or habit of the genus. 
 
 Since the time of Linnaeus the science of Botany 
 has made great strides, and thousands of new plants 
 
PLANT NAMES 21 
 
 have been introduced. But his method of naming 
 remains substantially as he left it. 
 
 There is now no absolutely authoritative botanical 
 body in the world which meets regularly for the 
 decision of doubtful questions, and with power to 
 register names. But in 1867 an International 
 Botanical Congress was held in Paris, when De 
 CandoUe prepared a set of rules. These were 
 adopted, and were amended at subsequent con- 
 gresses at Genoa in 1896, at Vienna in 1905, and at 
 Brussels in 1910, and they now hold the field. An 
 International Committee was also appointed which 
 assumes control over matters of priority and 
 synonymy. This committee does not assign names ; 
 that is done by whoever first describes the plant. 
 He must publish in some botanical journal of repute 
 a description, preferably in Latin, giving its fixed 
 characteristics which distinguish it from other 
 genera or species. He must also preserve a specimen 
 as a type. The direction is that this is to be mounted 
 on stiff white paper i6§ by 11 J inches, and is to be 
 placed in a herbarium for reference. Once a name 
 is given no one, not even the author, can change it ; 
 and if he has named it wrongly, the error will 
 always be associated with him. 
 
 It will sometimes happen that a plant is found and 
 named by two people about the same time. When 
 this is discovered, it becomes the duty of the Inter- 
 national Committee to decide which name was given 
 first, and that will be the plant's true name, the 
 other being sometimes added as a synonym. For 
 
22 PLANT NAMES 
 
 example, Hooker described a certain Rhododendron 
 which he found in the Himalaya region, and named 
 it Aucklandii, after the Indian Viceroy at the time. 
 It was afterwards ascertained that the species had 
 been already described by someone else, and named 
 after the Anglo-Indian plant explorer R. Griffith' 
 ianum, and so, according to the rule, that is the 
 correct name. Another example is Crinodendron 
 Hookeri or Hookerianum, which has been changed 
 to Tricuspidaria hexapetala, and I think more 
 recently to T. lanceolata. 
 
 But this process of changing the name of a plant, 
 necessary as it sometimes is, is very troublesome 
 and annoying to gardeners. Ozothamnus and Ben- 
 thamia, for instance, received those names because 
 it was beheved that they were distinct genera. It 
 was afterwards found that they were but species of 
 Heltchrysum and Cornus. 
 
PLANT NAMES 23 
 
 PRONUNCIATION, SPELLING, AND 
 GENDER 
 
 Gardeners are often sorely puzzled about the proper 
 pronunciation of the long hard words they have to 
 learn, and they are shy of using them lest they 
 should betray their ignorance. My advice to such 
 a gardener is : " Pronounce them in any way you like, 
 preferably in the customary way." There is really 
 no rule, and it is just as correct to say Pitto'sporum 
 as Pittospo'rum, or Centa'urea as Centaure'a. Pro- 
 nunciation is, and always has been, a matter of 
 popular usage, and many words have changed their 
 sound even in my own lifetime. Two hundred 
 years ago a lady would say, " I shall be obleeged 
 for a cup of tay," and I can remember when every- 
 one said " ospital," " umble," " erb," and '' The 
 Jllu'strated London News'' The Greeks have 
 totally changed the pronunciation of their language, 
 and do not observe any distinction between the long 
 and the short e and 0, as their ancestors did. If a 
 reader of the Bible were to pronounce the names 
 Abraham, Moses, James, or John as their contem- 
 poraries pronounced them, his hearers would not 
 know of whom he was reading. Really, we hardly 
 know how the old Greeks and Romans pronounced. 
 Their poetry is some guide as to accent and quan- 
 tity, but as rime was unknown to the ancients 
 we are deprived of its aid. In reading Greek and 
 
24 PLANT NAMES 
 
 Latin we have now conventional rules which are 
 rigidly observed by scholars, but these same scholars 
 disregard these rules, and follow usage when a Greek 
 or Latin word is adopted into the Enghsh language. 
 There is a story of a speaker in the House of Lords 
 who in the course of his speech said '' cu'rator.'* 
 Another noble lord corrected him, and said it should 
 be '' cura'tor." The speaker, with great wit and 
 readiness, replied, " I bow to the opinion of so 
 eminent a sena'tor and so eloquent an ora'tor." 
 Thus, strictly speaking, we should say " gla'dXolus,^^ 
 " anemo'ne'' *' eri'ca'^ " ar'hutus'' and " cenothe'ra " ; 
 but if your neighbours pronounce them otherwise, 
 you need not correct them. 
 
 When in doubt as to usage, it is better to observe 
 the original rule of the language from which the 
 name is taken. Ch, when it represents the Greek 
 chiy should be hard; thus Anchusa should be pro- 
 nounced Ankusa. On the other hand, the Greek 
 k is in English transliterated into c, and we had 
 better follow our rule for that letter, absurd as it is, 
 to sound it as s before e, i, ce, or y, and as k before 
 a, 0, or u. Thus, while the Germans say Kaiser, we 
 speak of Caesar. The same applies to g. The Greeks 
 and Romans made it always hard. But just as we 
 say Genesis and gymnastics, so we may speak of 
 Geum, Erigeron, and Gyneria as if they were spelt 
 with a /. 
 
 The spelling and the form of names is also a source 
 of difficulty to gardeners, for those who undertook 
 the task of adapting classical words for botanical 
 
PLANT NAMES 25 
 
 use very often, either through ignorance or wilful- 
 ness, disregarded classical usage. Proper names 
 sometimes underwent strange transformations to 
 fit them for international use. One does not, for 
 example, at once perceive that Stransvcesia com- 
 memorates Mr. Strangways, but the pronunciation 
 of this latter name would prove a serious difficulty 
 to the botanists of many foreign countries. It is, 
 however, easier to criticize what our predecessors 
 have done than to change it, so we must just accept 
 it. It is an accepted convention in modern times 
 that the Greek u should be transliterated into y ; 
 thus, we write and pronounce polu as poly. It is 
 now becoming usual to drop the diphthongs cb and 
 <^, and to write Spirea, Crategus, and Peony. 
 
 The question of the gender of plants is a puzzling 
 one. At an early stage in the development of 
 language, when the untutored imagination of our 
 forefathers endowed inanimate objects with life, 
 genders were introduced into substantive words and 
 their qualifying adjectives to indicate sex. Objects 
 possessed of strength and majesty were regarded as 
 masculine, while those characterized by grace, 
 tenderness, and gentleness were made feminine. 
 Thus the Greeks and Romans called the sun " he " 
 and the moon " she." An object with changing 
 moods, like the sea, sometimes strong and fierce, 
 sometimes playful and smiling, was neuter. The 
 instinct of sexual affection often determined gender. 
 Thus, sailors and engineers, who control and get 
 fond of their ships and their engines, call them 
 
 3 
 
26 PLANT NAMES 
 
 '* she." I have no doubt that if the sailors and 
 engine-drivers were women, they would call them 
 " he." This is all very well in poetry and colloquial 
 talk, but in scientific nomenclature it is wholly 
 absurd and mischievous. 
 
 But no old language is properly constructed. 
 Languages were not made by a committee of lin- 
 guistic experts on scientific principles. They grew 
 up through long ages in the mouths of ignorant, 
 careless, and indolent people, peasants and traders, 
 and all languages, living and dead, are filled with 
 illogical absurdities and inconsistencies. That is 
 what makes them difficult. There is but one pro- 
 perly constructed language in the world — Esperanto. 
 It was created by a man of genius who knew what 
 he was about. It is beautiful, precise, and expres- 
 sive. Its grammatical rules, which are few and 
 simple, have no exceptions, and there are no irregular 
 forms. It is consequently extraordinarily easy to 
 learn. And, as we might expect, it has no foohsh 
 distinctions of gender apart from sex. The English 
 language, too, is superior to most others in this 
 respect. We may call the sun and moon " he " and 
 " she " if we are in a poetical mood, but a German is 
 forced to do so as the Greeks and Romans were, 
 only he makes the sun '' she " and the moon "he." 
 And in plant names the student has to burden his 
 memory with the fact, for which there is no reason, 
 that a tree in Greek, dendron, is neuter, while in 
 Latin, arhor, it is feminine. And he is obliged to 
 make the qualifying adjective agree with it. A tall 
 
PLANT NAMES 27 
 
 tree in Latin is alta arbor, not alius nor altum. In 
 Esperanto he does not trouble his head with such 
 folly, and a tall man, a tall woman, or a tall chimney 
 is just alta. 
 
 The Romans, then, as a rule regarded trees as 
 feminine, and in names derived from their language 
 we are obliged to do the same. Therefore we have 
 to make the specific adjectival name correspond. 
 The Copper Beech is Fagus purpurea, not purpureus. 
 But we speak of Rhododendron ponticum and 
 Philadelphus grandiflorus because the Greeks looked 
 on those shrubs as neuter and masculine respectively. 
 
 For the sake of unlearned readers I may add the 
 rules by which to know the correct terminations of 
 specific adjectival names. There are four Latin 
 forms ending in -us, -is, -er, and -ens, as albus, 
 gracilis, niger, and splendens. The masculine, 
 feminine, and neuter of these are : -us, -a, -um ; -is, 
 -is, -e ; -er, -ra, -rum ; -ens, -ens, -ens. Generic 
 commemorative names are always feminine, and 
 usually end in a, as Buddleia, from Mr. Buddie. 
 Specific commemorative names end in -i or -ii, 
 which is the sign of the genitive of nouns ending in 
 -us or -ius. Thus, Buddleia Colvillii is the Buddleia 
 of Colvillius or Colvill. Or an adjective is coined 
 ending in -ius or -anus or -ianus; thus Gladiolus 
 Mortonius, Draccena Rohinsoniana, Dendrohium 
 Jamesianum. 
 
 In the following pages an attempt is made to 
 classify generic names according to their origin and 
 meaning. 
 
28 PLANT NAMES 
 
 A caution is, however, necessary. We must not 
 accept all the derivations given by etymologists as 
 certain. Etymology is not an exact science. It 
 has been explored with great care and research by 
 accurate and learned scholars. But the origin of 
 many words is so obscure that they have very fre- 
 quently yielded to the temptation to supplement 
 their sure conclusions with conjecture. Many 
 derivations given in dictionaries seem so far-fetched 
 as not to be easily credible, and we are further led 
 to doubt when we find different authorities giving 
 totally different accounts of the same word. On 
 the other hand, it is certain that many words are 
 descended from ancient words to which they bear 
 no resemblance whatever. Who would imagine 
 that wig is derived from the Latin pilus, or stranger 
 from ex? But neither does similarity nor even 
 identity of form or sense prove kinship. Who 
 would guess that there is no etymological connection 
 between sorrow and sorry, or between male and 
 female, or between bell and belfry, or between isle 
 and island, or between trifle and trivial, or, strangest 
 of all, between propose and proposition ? Identity 
 of spelling does not prove identity of origin. A 
 policy of insurance has, etymologically, nothing to 
 do with a national policy, nor the noun prize, a 
 reward, with the verb to prize, meaning to value. 
 Thus, to recur to Botany, Primrose* is not connected 
 
 * Primrose, though the French have prime rose, and in 
 Latin prima rosa, is really from Middle English primerole, a 
 diminutive form of Low Latin primula, from primus (first). 
 
PLANT NAMES 29 
 
 with Rose, nor Gooseberry with a goose, nor the Box 
 Tree with box, a chest. Surprising facts hke these 
 add a charm to the study of philology, and Botany 
 has its full share of them. 
 
 as being an early jfiowering plant. Rosemary is Ros marinus , 
 sea-dew, from some fancied connection with sea-spray. 
 Tuberose is from the Latin adjective tuberosus, having a 
 tuber. 
 
30 PLANT NAMES 
 
 NAMES WHOSE MEANINGS ARE NOT 
 KNOWN 
 
 Many plant names come down to us from a dim 
 antiquity, and no one now can say why they were 
 originally given. No doubt the people who gave 
 them had some reason for doing so, but it is lost for 
 ever. Often we can tell in which language a name 
 arose. We know that Syringa was Persian, Jessa- 
 mine Arabic, and Lily Celtic. But what those 
 names meant thousands of years ago we shall never 
 discover. In the following list I give in some cases 
 conjectural explanations based on the root of the 
 word being found in some cognate language in a 
 known word. But these must be taken as mere 
 guesses. 
 
 Arabic. — Ahutilon, Artichoke, Aloe, Berberis, 
 Cinnamon, Datura, Doronicum, Myrrh, Ribes, 
 Saffron, Sumach. 
 
 Persian. — Asparagus, Lilac, Mezereum, Musk,* 
 Myrtle (perhaps cognate with Myrrh, the wood being 
 fragrant), Orange (originally naranj ; the initial n 
 was lost in passing through the Italian). 
 
 Egyptian. — Arum, Papyrus (from which our 
 word " paper "). 
 
 Greek. — Aloe, Balm, Blechnum, Cactus, Canna, 
 Carrot, Ceanothus, Cedar, Celery, Cercis, Clethra, 
 
 * Nutmeg is the Musk nut. The meg is from old French 
 muge, from Latin muscus, from Persian musk. 
 
PLANT NAMES 31 
 
 Cneorum, Colutea, Crinum, Crocus, Hellebore, Hedy- 
 sarum, Larix (from which is Larch), Linum (from 
 this word comes Hne, Hnen, Hneage, and Hnnet — i.e., 
 a bird that feeds on Flax-seed), Lotus, Mentha or 
 Mint, Melon,"^ Mulberry — i.e., the berry of the 
 Morea, the Greek name of the tree (it frequently 
 happened that the r and / were interchangeable, as 
 Pepper from Pippala, Plum from Prunus\)', the 
 southern part of Greece is called the Morea, as 
 shaped Hke a Mulberry leaf — Nemesia, Olive, Ornus, 
 Pea,% Rose, Rue, Eryngium. 
 
 Latin. — Alnus (cognate with Alder), Armeria 
 (Thrift), Arundo, Beet, Cucumber (from Cucuniis), 
 Elm (from Ulmus), Dictamnus, Endive (from Intu- 
 bus), Fig (from Ficus), Fraxinus, Genista, Gourd 
 (from Cucurbita), Hibiscus, Juniper, Laburnum, 
 Laurel (from Laurus), Lupin, Oleander (from a Low 
 Latin name Lorandrum, which may be com- 
 pounded of lauro-dendron, the Laurel Tree, a hybrid 
 word), Pear (from Pirus), Poppy (from Papaver), 
 Rape, Service (from Sorbus), Tilia (the Lime), 
 Vaccinium (the Whortleberry), Viola, and Violet. 
 
 * Melon is simply Greek for apple. From it comes 
 marmalade, which has descended to us through Portuguese 
 and French from melimelum, or honey-apple. 
 
 t Compare colonel, from Latin columna, a column, which 
 in Spanish is turned into coronel, and this form is common 
 in Elizabethan EngHsh. This accounts for our pronuncia- 
 tion " kurnel." 
 
 % Pea is a false singular, arising from the mistaken notion 
 that pease, from Greek pisos, was a plural noun; and so 
 pease soup came to be spelt pea soup. 
 
32 PLANT NAMES 
 
 Japanese. — Akebia, Aucuba, Fatsia, Gingko, 
 Skimmia, Tsuga. 
 
 Brazilian. — Petunia. 
 
 Peruvian. — Yucca, Mahogany. 
 
 North American Indian. — Catalpa, Hickory^ 
 Sequoia, 
 
 Haytian. — Potato. 
 
 Malayan. — Bamboo, with Latinized form Bam- 
 busa. 
 
 Mexican. — Tecoma, Tomato, Cocoa. 
 
 Chinese. — Loquat. 
 
 Anglo-Saxon. — Apple, Ash, Aspen, Barley, 
 Beech (Skeat thinks that from this word came 
 " book," the original books being writing scratched 
 on a beechen board), Birch, Broom, Briar (the word 
 *' briar pipe " is quite different ; it is from the French 
 Bruyere, Heath, as made from Heather roots found 
 in the Jura mountains). Cress, Fir, Furze, Gorse, 
 Whin (this word was used generally of weeds, 
 showing the dislike of the people to this gorgeously 
 flowering shrub just because it gave itself too 
 generously). Hazel, Hemlock (the "lock" is the 
 A.S. " leek," a general word for a plant, as in Garlic, 
 Charlock), Holly and its cognate word Holm Oak, 
 Ivy, Maple, Oak, Oats, Rye, Ragwort (" wort " 
 meant originally a root; it is allied to the Greek 
 rhiza and Latin radix; we find it in *' Mangel- 
 wurzel," and in " orchard " or " wort-yard "), 
 Willow. 
 
PLANT NAMES 33 
 
 MEDICINAL 
 
 There is quite a large class of plants which in times 
 long past received their names from their medicinal 
 qualities, real or supposed. Just as the ancient 
 astronomers studied the heavenly bodies because 
 they believed that they influenced the destinies of 
 mankind, so the interest that botanists took in 
 plants to a large extent arose from their use as 
 medicines. The value of a plant was estimated by 
 its usefulness to man, either as food in health or as 
 medicine in sickness, and it was beheved that as 
 the Creator had afflicted His creatures with divers 
 diseases, He had equally provided for each disease 
 some plant which formed its remedy.' The business 
 of science was to discover for each ailment the 
 corresponding plant to cure it, and we can imagine 
 how many lives were sacrificed in the search. But 
 they went farther than this, and held that in each 
 plant there was some visible indication of the part 
 of the human body whose disease it was designed to 
 cure. This was the curious doctrine of Signatures, 
 and it was firmly believed by the herbalists of those 
 times. The spotted leaf of one plant reminded them 
 of the lungs. They thus inferred that it must be 
 a remedy for consumption, and called it Ptdmonaria. 
 A plant with swellings at the joints must be good 
 for gout. The Mistletoe grew downwards. It was 
 therefore plain that it was marked out as a specific 
 
34 PLANT NAMES 
 
 for epilepsy or " falling sickness." The Walnut 
 resembled the human skull, which proved that it 
 could cure all diseases of the head, whether of the 
 scalp or the brain. But the height of absurdity 
 was reached when the conclusion was drawn that 
 Fern seed, being so small that the naked eye could 
 hardly discern it, must have the property of render- 
 ing a person who held it invisible. We find it in 
 Shakespeare: " We have the receipt of Fern seed; 
 we walk invisible." So also the yellow Celandine 
 was supposed to cure jaundice. Wood Sorrel (which 
 has a heart-shaped leaf) to cheer the heart, Liver- 
 wort to be good for the liver, and so on. 
 
 These strange beliefs were held for centuries in 
 good faith by men of learning and sense. But by 
 degrees the practice of herbalism fell into the hands 
 of quacks, who preyed on the current credulity, and 
 finally disappeared with the advance of true science. 
 
 The following are some names derived from 
 supposed medicinal virtues: Althea, from altho, to 
 heal. Alyssum, from a, not, and lussa, a rage, 
 because it was supposed to calm canine madness. 
 Anchusa is from ancho, to press tight. Gerard says 
 it is " most singular in deep punctures, or wounds 
 made with thrusts " — that is, it closes a gaping cut. 
 Aristolochia means "best in parturition"; it was 
 considered useful in childbirth. Asplenium, from 
 a, not, and splene, the spleen, used for spleen dis- 
 orders. Anagallis, from anagalao, to laugh, was 
 believed to cure sadness. Clerodendron is said to be 
 from kleros, a lot (whence come " clergy " — i.e., 
 
PLANT NAMES 35 
 
 those whose lot is a sacred one) , and dendron, a tree — 
 that is, a tree with uncertain medicinal qualities. 
 Geum is from geuo, to give a taste of, to stimulate, 
 the roots having a property like that of quinine. 
 Henbane may be called from its injurious effects on 
 poultry. It is, however, possible that its name is a 
 corruption of Hogbean, which is the English of its 
 botanical name, hyoscyamus. HippophcB, the Sea 
 Buckthorn, means " killing horses." Feverfew 
 {Pyrethrum parthenium) is an anglicized form of 
 fehrifugia, that which drives away fever. Lysi- 
 machia, or Loosestrife, was counted a sedative, 
 calming hot tempers; Malva, the Mallow, from 
 malakos, soft (Latin mollis), was valued as an emol- 
 lient; and Nepenthes, the Pitcher plant, from ne, not, 
 and penthos, grief, was supposed to assuage grief. 
 On the other hand, the seeds of Lathyrus, the Pea, 
 from thouros, impetuous, with the intensive prefix 
 la, were counted to be an irritant. Belladonna, 
 which means " beautiful lady," was employed in 
 Italy by the ladies to give softness to their eyes and 
 to remove freckles. Cardamine, from kardia, the 
 heart, and daniao, to overpower, was either a heart 
 medicine or a heart poison. Panax, from Greek 
 pa7t, everything, means " a universal remedy," so 
 does Pancratium ; Potentilla was potent to cure all 
 diseases; and Salvia, from which our word Sage, 
 from salvus, safe, contains the same idea. Prunella, 
 Self-heal, is from the German Breaune, a disease of 
 the jaws, which it was believed to heal. Plumbago 
 is said to have been a remedy for the disease of the 
 
36 PLANT NAMES 
 
 eyes called plumbum. But may it not have been 
 from the lead colour of its flower ? Pennyroyal, 
 Mentha pulegium (not Pennywort, which is a name 
 given to four different plants from the shape of their 
 leaves), is a singular corruption of the old name, 
 Pulial Royal. It is so called from pulex, a flea, as it 
 was esteemed an efficacious protection against those 
 little pests. Santolina, from sanctum linum, holy 
 Flax, is said to have derived its name from its 
 medicinal powers. Saxifrage, which means " broken 
 stone," one would naturally explain by its habitat. 
 It is said, however, to refer to its eflicacy against 
 stone in the bladder. Scilla, from skullo, to tear 
 or to annoy, was called from its poisonous proper- 
 ties. Selago, with its diminutive Selaginella, is 
 Celtic, meaning salutary for the sight. Scrophu- 
 laria explains itself. Scahiosa was a remedy for the 
 itch, scabies. Solanum, from solor, to solace, was 
 believed to have soothing qualities. Solidago, 
 Golden Rod, the national flower of the United 
 States, from solido, to unite, was used for cuts. It 
 is interesting to know that the Latin word solidus 
 was used in later times for a coin, which is a solid 
 disc of metal. The s in £ s. d. stands for solidi. 
 From this comes the Italian soldo and French sou. 
 And a soldier was one who fought for payment, a 
 soldo a day. Statice, the Sea Lavender, is from sto, 
 to stand or to stop, from its astringent qualities. 
 Spurge is from expurgo, to cleanse away, from its 
 use in destroying warts. Stitchwort was esteemed 
 as a remedy for a stitch in the side Reseda , 
 
PLANT NAMES 37 
 
 Mignonette, is from resido, to abate, from its virtue 
 for bruises. Wormwood has no reference either to 
 worms or wood. Its German form is Vermuth, and 
 its Hteral sense is " ware mood " — i.e., preserver of 
 the mind, a safeguard against madness. Tansy is 
 a shortened form of athanasia, the Greek for immor- 
 taHty, from its supposed virtue to prolong hfe. 
 Erynguim is from a Greek word meaning " to belch," 
 Dioscorides says because it was a remedy against 
 flatulence. Tussilago, or Coltsfoot, comes from tussis, 
 a cough. Pliny states that it had been in use from 
 remote times for curing colds, the fumes of the 
 burning weed being inhaled through a reed. And 
 some have suggested that Coltsfoot is properly 
 coldswood, but this is unlikely. A good many 
 Enghsh folk-names of plants arose from the sup- 
 posed likeness of the leaf to the foot of an animal, 
 and contained the syllables " hoof," " cloot," and 
 *' foot." Such names are given to the Violet, the 
 Marsh Marigold, the Burdock, and the yellow Water 
 Lily. 
 
38 PLANT NAMES 
 
 FANCY 
 
 We may take as another class of names those which 
 contain some pretty fancy, or which express the 
 dehght which flowers inspired in lovers of fields and 
 gardens. Many of these need no explanation, such 
 as Buttercup, Kingcup, Snowdrop, Eyehright, Blue- 
 hell, Lady^s Smock, Lady'^s Mantle, Traveller's Joy, 
 Forget-me-not, Heart's Ease, Pansy (from the French 
 pensee, a thought; Ophelia said, " There's Pansies, 
 they're for thoughts "), Sweet William, Morning 
 Glory, Sunflower, Speedwell, Maiden Hair, Honesty, 
 Thrift, Aaron's Rod, Solomon's Seal, Star of Beth- 
 lehem, Venus' Looking-glass, and a host of others. 
 Marigold is the gold fit for the Blessed Virgin, and 
 so Clematis is in some parts called Virgin's Bower. 
 Iris is the rainbow (corrupted into Orris), which also 
 suggested a name for the beautiful circles in our 
 eyes. Daisy is the day's eye or the sun, and Bellis, 
 its botanical name, means beautiful. How aptly 
 Monk's Hood describes its flower ! Philadelphus 
 means brotherly kindness, and Agapanthus the 
 flower of love. What beautiful names ! Aster is 
 a star (so " astronomy," or the laws of the stars) 
 Nightshade was thought to be a poisonous plant, 
 " loving darkness rather than light, because its deeds 
 are evil." In the bloom of Passi flora, or the Passion 
 Flower, the pious imagination of our forefathers 
 
PLANT NAMES 39 
 
 detected the hammer and nails of the Crucifixion. 
 The Judas Tree was supposed to be the tree on which 
 Judas hanged himself, because the red flower-buds, 
 coming before the leaves, looked like drops of blood. 
 TropcBolum is from the Greek tropaion, a trophy, as 
 worthy to be borne by a conqueror. This word 
 comes from trepo, to turn, because the foe turned 
 and fled. (Thus the tropics are where the sun 
 appears to turn in his course, and a trope is a turn 
 or figure of speech.) Juglans, the Walnut, is Jovis 
 glans, the nut of Jupiter, so excellent is it. The 
 Nectarine is from nectar, the drink of the gods, as 
 ambrosia was their food. Bishop Walsham How 
 once wrote a little poem addressed to London Pride, 
 rebuking it for that bad quality. A lady called his 
 attention to the fact that the name did not mean 
 that the plant was proud, but that London was 
 proud of it, whereupon the Bishop wrote a second 
 charming poem apologizing to it ! Agave, the Aloe, 
 means admirable. Calla is the beautiful. Cosmos 
 is the ornamental. Clianthus is the glorious flower. 
 Dianthus is the divine flower. Diospyros, the Date 
 Plum, is the divine Wheat — that is, celestial food. 
 Chionodoxa is the glory of the snow. Callistemon 
 is the most beautiful stamen, and Callistephus the 
 most beautiful crown. Asphodel means the unsur- 
 passed. From this is derived Daffodil. The initial 
 d may have come in through the French Fleur 
 d'affrodille. Eucharis means pleasing, worthy of 
 praise. Euonymus is a strange word. Literally, it 
 means well-named or honourable. But among the 
 
40 PLANT NAMES 
 
 more superstitious of mankind there is a constant 
 dread of unseen powers around them, often imagined 
 to be jealous and mahgnant. It is therefore con- 
 sidered wise to speak respectfully of them, and in 
 various lands we find instances of this. The 
 Greeks, for example, thought it better to call the 
 Furies Eumenides, or the well-meaning. And so 
 Cape Tormentoso, or Stormy Cape, became the 
 Cape of Good Hope. The Irish call the fairies " the 
 good people," even though, or rather because, they 
 suspect them of mischievous intentions. And so the 
 name Euonymus was given to the left or ill-omened 
 hand, and it is thought to have been applied to the 
 tree because its berries are poisonous. On the other 
 hand, it is quite possible that it may have been a 
 title of genuine admiration. Gazania is believed to 
 be from gaza, a word of Persian origin, used by 
 the Greeks to express richness. Ononis, the Rest 
 Harrow, means delighting donkeys. Quercus, the 
 Oak, is said to be derived from the Celtic quer, fine, 
 and cuez, a tree. Marguerite, the Ox-eye Daisy, is 
 from the Greek word for a pearl. Verbena, Ver- 
 vain, is a Latin word used to signify a sacred bough, 
 which they applied to Laurel, Myrtle, or Olive, such 
 as were used in religious processions. Helichrysum 
 means sun of gold, a name full of poetry. Hemero- 
 callis is the beauty of the day. And, lastly, an 
 unassuming, drab-coloured, fragrant favourite of 
 our gardens is Mignonette, or little darhng. It was 
 probably some Frenchwoman who called the httle 
 flower that, and the name caught on, and who, 
 
PLANT NAMES 41 
 
 among its myriad lovers, could now bear to call it 
 Reseda, even if you add odorata ? Names like this 
 bring us into touch with people of distant lands and 
 far-off ages, who, like ourselves, loved the sweet 
 and beautiful things of nature. 
 
42 PLANT NAMES 
 
 COMMEMORATIVE 
 
 A VERY large number of plants are named in memory 
 of people of greater or less distinction. Some of 
 them have come down to us from ancient times, 
 some are mediaeval, but the majority are modern. 
 These names are applied to the genera, in still 
 greater numbers to the species, and in countless 
 thousands to the varieties; but of these last we take 
 no notice, as they are not botanical names. Of 
 generic commemorative names, some refer to people 
 of whom we know nothing, but some to men whose 
 fame, like stars, illuminates past ages. Such are 
 Aristotelia, from Aristotle, the celebrated philosopher, 
 and Wellingtonia, from the Iron Duke. But most 
 of them commemorate notable botanists or patrons 
 of horticulture, who deserve to be honoured and 
 remembered by after-generations of flower-lovers. 
 I must content myself with giving in a bare list a 
 small selection of such names, choosing those of 
 fairly well known plants. 
 
 C0]\IMEM0RATIVE NaMES. 
 
 Abelia, Alstromeria, Aubrietia, Azara. 
 
 Begonia, Benthamia, Bignonia, Bocconia, Bro- 
 walUa, Buddleia. 
 
 Camellia, Carpentaria, Cassinia, Choisya, Clarkia, 
 Collinsia, Correa. 
 
PLANT NAMES 43 
 
 Dahlia, Desfontanea. 
 
 Escallonia. 
 
 Fabiana, Forsythia, Francoa, Freesia, Fuchsia. 
 
 Gaillardia, Garrya, Gardenia, Gaultheria, Gen- 
 tiana, Gerbera, Gloxinia, Godetia, Green Gage, 
 Grevillia, Gunnera. 
 
 Halesia, Heuchera. 
 
 Incarvillea. 
 
 Jamesia. 
 
 Kalmia, Kerria, Kniphofia, Koelreuteria. 
 
 LachenaHa, Lapageria, Lavatera, Leycesteria, 
 Lonicera, Lobelia. 
 
 Mahonia, Mathiola, Monarda, Montbretia, Muhlen- 
 beckia, MagnoHa. 
 
 Nicotiana. 
 
 Parrotia, Paulo wnia, Pernettya, Poinsettia 
 
 Ramondia, Rodgersia, Romneya, Robinia, Rud- 
 beckia. 
 
 Salisburia, Sarracenia. 
 
 Thunbergia, Torenia, Tradescantia. 
 
 Vallota. 
 
 WeigeHa, Wistaria. 
 
 Zinnia. 
 
44 PLANT NAMES 
 
 PLACE OF ORIGIN 
 
 When we find plants called after countries or dis- 
 tricts we learn the place from which they came, or 
 where they were found in remarkable abundance. 
 And we may with certainty infer that the name did 
 not arise there, but in some other place to which 
 they were introduced. Currants, for example, are 
 called after Corinth, a Greek city, but the Corin- 
 thians would never think of giving them that name. 
 Thus we glean some interesting information about 
 the origin and history of the tree. Aconite was 
 plentiful round Acona, in Italy.* Arahis was first 
 recorded as being an Arabian plant; Agaricus, the 
 genus of Fungi to which mushrooms belong, was 
 plentiful near Agaria, a town in Sarmatia; Berga- 
 mot is from Bergamo in Italy! ; the Araucaria is 
 called after the name of a native tribe in Chile, where 
 it was first found. The first syllable of Chestnut is 
 derived from Castana, a city in Greece. Colchicum, 
 the Meadow Saffron, sometimes called the Autumn 
 Crocus, though not akin to the Crocuses, is from 
 Colchis, famous in Greek legend. Cherry ought to 
 be Cheris, which was erroneously supposed to be 
 plural. It comes through the French cerise, from 
 
 * Skeat, however, derives it from Greek en akonais, from 
 its growing on steep, sharp rocks. 
 
 t But the Bergamot Pear is from the Turkish heg armudi, 
 the Prince's Pear. 
 
PLANT NAMES 45 
 
 cerasus, and was called from Kerasos, a city in 
 Pontus, whence it was brought to Rome by Lucullus, 
 whose splendid banquets became proverbial. The 
 word Quince comes also through the old French 
 coin, which was from the Italian cotogna, which was 
 from the Latin Cydonia (its botanical name), because 
 Cydonia, in Crete, was its native place. The 
 Cytisus, or Broom, came from Cythrus, an island 
 of the Cyclades, near Greece. The Damson, as also 
 the Damask Rose, came from Damascus. Iberis, 
 Candytuft, is from Iberia, the ancient name of Spain, 
 where it abounds. Nepeta, Catmint, is said to come 
 from Nepi, a town near Rome. The Pampas Grass, 
 of course, comes from the pampas or plains of South 
 America. Parnassia, or Grass of Parnassus, was 
 called after the holy mountain in Greece where the 
 Delphic Oracle was situated, where, from its ele- 
 gance, it was fabled to have sprung. The Peach comes 
 through the old French pesche, from the Latin 
 persicum — that is, the fruit of the Persica arbor, 
 because it came from Persia. Rhubarb is from the 
 Greek Rheon barbaron, or the Rha plant from the 
 barbarous country. The Rha took its name from 
 the River Rha, now the Volga. The Greeks called 
 all foreigners who did not speak the Greek language 
 barbaroi, or stammerers. Barbaroi was their way 
 of contemptuously expressing the strange sound of 
 an unintelligible tongue, just as the Dutch in South 
 Africa called the natives in derision Hottentots. 
 The word Shallot, too, has a queer history. We get 
 it from the old French eschalote, which was a variant 
 
46 PLANT NAMES 
 
 of escalogne, which came from the Latin ascalonia, 
 which came through the Greek from Askelon, a city 
 of the PhiHstines, of which we read in the books of 
 Judges and Samuel. 
 
 What is the origin of the name Spruce Fir ? 
 This word is the same as spruce, meaning neat, 
 trim. It was an old form of Prussia. Hall's 
 " Chronicle " tells us that a particular kind of fashion- 
 able dress was that in which men " were appareyled 
 after the manner of Prussia or Spruce." Thus, 
 Spruce Fir means Prussian Fir. Prusse, formerly 
 Pruce, is the French for Prussia, and the s seems to 
 have been prefixed for emphasis, just as " plash " 
 became " splash," and perhaps " lash " " slash." 
 Citrus is from Citron, a town in Palestine. 
 
 There are, however, pitfalls which we must avoid. 
 The Guelder Rose, Viburnum opulus, is not called, 
 as one might suppose, from the province of Gelder- 
 land, but was originally the Elder Rose. The 
 Viburnums are akin to the Elders, and the g 
 was prefixed by a pure error. The Jerusalem 
 Artichoke, Helianthus tuber osus, is, of course, no more 
 an Artichoke [Cynara) than the Guelder Rose is a 
 Rose. But neither has it anything to do with Jeru- 
 salem. It is a Sunflower, girasole, and popular 
 ignorance transformed this word into Jerusalem, 
 just as British sailors turned Bellerophon into Billy 
 Ruffian. On the other hand, it is Hkely that 
 Spinach comes, not from spina, a thorn, because its 
 fruit is prickly, but from Hispania, Spain, since the 
 Arabs call it Hispanach. Tobacco may perhaps be 
 
PLANT NAMES 47 
 
 called from the Island of Tobago in the West Indies, 
 but some think that it is from tamhoku, the word for 
 a pipe in Hayti. And Candytuft may have reached 
 us from Candia, the modern name of Crete. The 
 Walnut is not the nut that grows on walls, but the 
 " foreign nut." Wal here is the same as in 
 ** Wales." All Teutonic people called tribes not of 
 their blood or speech Welshmen, or foreigners, and 
 we find this wal, or in the Romance gal, in Cornwall, 
 Gallia, the ancient name of France, and in those of 
 many other places. Hollyhock is the Hock in- 
 digenous to the Holy Land, Hock being the Celtic 
 name for Mallow. It has also been suggested that 
 it derived its name from the Holy Island, Lindis- 
 fame, or from the saint of that isle, after whom it 
 was called St. Cuthbert's Kale. 
 
48 PLANT NAMES 
 
 USE 
 
 A GOOD many plants were named from some useful 
 purpose to which they were applied. Carpinus is 
 said to have been a Celtic word meaning wood for 
 the head, referring, as does its English name Horn- 
 beam, to its use for making yokes for oxen. Carduus, 
 the Thistle, is called from its use in carding wool. 
 The derivation of Capsicum, red pepper, is given by 
 the Oxford Dictionary as from capsa, a case, refer- 
 ring to the capsule for the seed. It is more prob- 
 ably from Greek kapto, to swallow greedily, from 
 its use as a condiment. So Mustard, because for 
 this purpose it was mixed with mustum, or new 
 wine. 
 
 Linnaeus gave the etymology of Cheiranthus, the 
 Wallflower, as from cheir, a hand, and anthos — that is, 
 a flower for the hand, as making a good nosegay. 
 The Arabic name, however, is kheyry, and this is 
 more likely the original of cheir, the anthos being 
 added to give it a Greek appearance. Hawthorn is 
 from the Anglo-Saxon haga, a hedge or fence. We 
 have the same word in " ha-ha," a sunk fence. 
 Galega, or Goat's Rue, is from Greek gala, milk 
 (" Galaxy," or the Milky Way), because it was 
 supposed to be good for milking goats. Fagus, the 
 Beech, is said to be from the Greek phago, to eat, 
 because its seeds are edible (at least, by pigs !). 
 Lavandula, Lavender, is from lavo, to wash, because 
 
PLANT NAMES 49 
 
 it was laid among freshly washed clothes. (We 
 have this word in lavatory, laundry, deluge, etc.) 
 Ligustrum, the old Latin name for the Privet, is 
 supposed to be from ligo, to tie, from the use made 
 of its flexible shoots. Privet refers to its use in 
 making hedges. It seems to be a corruption of 
 primet, from an old word to prime or clip trees. 
 This word is connected with prim, neat, and comes 
 from prime, first, the sense being first grown, and 
 therefore small and delicate. So, at least, says 
 Skeat, one of our greatest etymological authorities. 
 I confess doubts. Phlomis is said to be from 
 phlox, a flame, because the down on its stems was 
 used for making wicks. A more certain derivation 
 is Phormium, the New Zealand Flax, from phormos, 
 a wicker basket. Flax is an Anglo-Saxon word 
 alUed to Greek pleko, to weave. Sambucus, the 
 Elder, is said to be from a musical instrument, 
 sambuke, made from its wood. In the same way 
 the Spindle Tree, Euonymus, got its name from the 
 spindles (used in spinning) which its wood suppHed. 
 Thuja, or Thuya, is a Greek name from thuos, 
 incense (see Rev. xviii. 12), as providing the resin 
 used for that purpose. Thuos is from thuo, to offer 
 a sacrifice. It then came to mean anything frag- 
 rant, and so Thyme got its name. Viburnum and 
 Vinca, the Periwinkle, have the same root vi, which 
 contains the idea of binding or winding round some- 
 thing. So also Vitis, the Vine. From this root 
 vi also came the Greek cine and oinos, whence Vine 
 and wine. 
 
50 PLANT NAMES 
 
 CLASSICAL NAMES 
 
 We may group together a few names that come 
 down to us from classical and mythological lore. 
 Most of them were given in ancient ages when men 
 still believed these myths, but some by scholars of 
 modern times, who perhaps liked to display their 
 learning. Few of them, if any, have discernible 
 appropriateness to the flowers to which they belong. 
 But these old legendary stories are often beautiful, 
 and these names recall the simple beliefs of far-off 
 times when the imagination of primitive men 
 peopled the woods and streams and mountains with 
 invisible, or rarely visible, beings — fairies, nymphs, 
 satyrs, and gnomes. Thus the Andromeda was 
 called after the Ethiopian Princess who was chained 
 to a rock that she might be devoured by a sea 
 monster. Linnaeus fancifully found a resemblance 
 to her fate in the habitat of the little Andromeda 
 plants which " grew on turfy hillocks in the midst 
 of swamps frequented by toads and other reptiles." 
 Amaryllis was the pastoral sweetheart sung by 
 Theocritus and Virgil. We remember Milton's line, 
 " to sport with AmarylHs in the shade." The 
 Artemisia, Wormwood, reminds the scholar of the 
 Queen who erected the famous mausoleum in 
 memory of her husband. Achillea, Milfoil, is called 
 from the Greek hero at the siege of Troy. The 
 Centaur Chiron, fabled to have been skilled in 
 
PLANT NAMES 51 
 
 medicine, was said to have used this plant as a cure. 
 The Centaurs were half men, half horses, and Ovid 
 tells us that another plant, called Centaurea, after 
 this Chiron, cured a wound in the foot. Gary a, the 
 Hickory, was the Greek name for the Walnut. It 
 is said to have been called after a Princess who was 
 changed by Bacchus into a Walnut tree. Cypripe- 
 dium, or Lady's vSlipper, contains the word Kupris, 
 which was the Greek name of Venus, goddess of 
 love, from whom the island of Cyprus was named 
 because it was one of the chief seats of her worship. 
 The lip of the flowers of this tribe of orchids, is 
 really like a slipper. Daphne was the daughter of a 
 river god loved by Apollo. To escape him she 
 changed into a Laurel. Drus was the Greek word 
 for an Oak, and so the nymphs of the woods were 
 called Dryads. The leaves of the little plant 
 Dryas octopetala resemble those of an Oak, and so 
 Linnaeus, in a playful mood, made it the badge of 
 Virgil's Dryades, after the manner of the Scottish 
 clans, and gave it its name. Heraclemn, the Cow 
 Parsnip, was consecrated to Heracles (Latin Her- 
 cules), the mythical Greek hero. Hyacinth, in the 
 Greek fable, was a Prince who was loved by Apollo, 
 the sun, and Zephyr, the west wind. He preferred 
 Apollo, so Zephyr killed him with a quoit. His 
 blood became a flower, and it was fancied that the 
 petals were inscribed with his name. Helenium is 
 called after the lovely Helen, cause of the Trojan 
 War. Inula is said to be a corruption of Helenium. 
 Narcissus was a youth who saw his face mirrored in 
 
52 PLANT NAMES 
 
 a pool, and fell in love with it. He vainly tried to 
 kiss it, and was drowned, so he was changed into 
 the flower. The Nerine Lily is called after Nereis, 
 a sea nymph. The Water Lily, Nymphsea, derives 
 its name from the fabled maidens inhabiting the 
 rivers and woods. The Osmunda Fern is said to be 
 called after a Celtic deity, and Tagetes, of which the 
 African Marigold is a species, after a Tuscan deity. 
 Teucrium is from Teucer, a Greek hero in the siege 
 of Troy. Samphire is from the French Herhe de 
 Saint Pierre, and Filbert is named after St. Phili- 
 bert, the nut being ripe on his day, August 22. And 
 so, too, Lady^s Bedstraw and Lady's Slipper are 
 called after the Virgin Mary. The Veronica was 
 probably named after the legendary maiden who, 
 it was believed, offered her handkerchief to our 
 Saviour on His way to Calvary. He wiped the 
 sweat from His face, and when He returned it, it 
 bore His likeness. Vera ikonika means the true 
 image, and the maiden received that name. A 
 handkerchief which is supposed to prove the truth 
 of this story is preserved in St. Peter's in Rome. 
 The Peony is from Paian, who was in mythology the 
 physician of the gods. The name was afterwards 
 transferred to Apollo, the god of song, and so a 
 song of triumph after victory was called a paean. 
 
PLANT NAMES 53 
 
 LIKENESS TO ANIMALS 
 
 Quite a number of plants have derived their names 
 from fancied resemblance to parts of animals. 
 Antholyza means " the raging flower," because it 
 reminds us of the face of an angry beast. Antir- 
 rhinum is from anti, like, and rhis, a nose, from the 
 likeness of the flower to a snout. We have this 
 word in rhinoceros, which means a snout of horn. 
 Snapdragon, its English name, has the same idea. 
 Bugloss is the tongue of an ox. Bupleurum is the 
 rib of an ox, referring perhaps to the ribbed leaves 
 of some species. Columbine, Erodium, Geranium, 
 and Pelargonium have been explained (p. 3). 
 Cranberry, too, is said to refer to the crane, I know 
 not how. Celandine is from chelidon, a swallow; 
 the reason is equally mysterious. Pliny suggested 
 two reasons, neither very convincing. He says: 
 " The brute animals have been the discoverers of 
 certain plants; among them we will name Chelidonia 
 first of all. It is by the aid of this plant that the 
 swallow restores the sight of the young birds in the 
 nest, and even, as some people will have it, when 
 their eyes have been plucked out." And again: 
 " These plants (the Greater and the Lesser Celandine) 
 blossom both of them at the arrival of the swallow, 
 and wither at the time of its departure." The 
 appropriateness of Cockscomb is obvious. Colts- 
 foot refers to the shape of the leaves. So do Hart's 
 Tongue and Cynoglossum, reproduced in its Enghsh 
 
54 PLANT NAMES 
 
 name Hound^s Tongue. This Greek word, kuon, is in 
 " cynic " — that is, one who behaves like a dog, I 
 suppose with the contemptuous demeanour towards 
 you of someone else's dog. It also comes into 
 Cynara, the Artichoke, because the spines on the 
 involucre were likened to dogs' teeth. Fern is from 
 an ancient Sanskrit word parna, meaning a feather. 
 Lycopodium, or Club Moss, is the wolf's foot. Lupin 
 is from lupus, a wolf. No one seems to know why 
 the Romans called it so. Ricinus, the Castor Oil 
 Plant, means a tick, because its seeds resemble that 
 horrid pest. Tigridia, the Tiger Lily, got its name 
 from the flowers, which are spotted like a tiger. 
 Mimulus, the Monkey Plant, is called from the 
 fancied resemblance of the flower to the grinning face 
 of an ape. The Greek word for an imitator or an 
 actor was mimos, and this gave them a name for the 
 monkey, because he mimics man. The same idea 
 is contained in Mimosa, because some species, 
 M. pudica and M. sensitiva, by the irritability of 
 their leaves, which close at a touch, imitate animal 
 sensibility. 
 
 In this section, too, we have pitfalls. We must 
 not, for instance, suppose that Gooseberry has any- 
 thing to do with geese. " Goose " here is a corrup- 
 tion of the old French groise, or hairy. Foxglove is 
 probably Folk's Glove — that is, the glove of the folk 
 or fairies.* Nor does Dogwood, or the Dog Rose, 
 
 * Some have derived " fox " here from the 'Latin fuscus, 
 tawny or swarthy. But fuscus would not well describe the 
 colour of the Foxglove flower, and it is not likely that our 
 
PLANT NAMES 55 
 
 resemble a dog. The name was given in contempt, 
 implying a poor sort of wood or Rose, and recalls the 
 time when the dog was not as valued a friend of man 
 as he is now. The word in " dog tired," " dog 
 cheap," is different. It is there just the Swedish 
 word for " very." " Dog watch " at sea is different 
 again. It is there the " Dodge watch." Parallel 
 with Dog Rose is Toadflax — that is, a spurious or con- 
 temptible kind of Flax, although it is not really a 
 Flax at aU.* A Bulrush, on the other hand, is a 
 strong and sturdy sort of rush, like bulldog, bull 
 frog. Horse-chestnut is a puzzle to me. "Horse" 
 seems here to have the same sense as in Horse- 
 radish or Horse-leech, where it is a form of hoarse 
 or coarse. We find it in such words as " horse- 
 play," a " horse-laugh." The Horse-chestnut would 
 then be contrasted with the Sweet or Spanish 
 Chestnut, Castanea sativa (perhaps from the inferior 
 edibility of its fruit), with which it was supposed to 
 be akin. But the botanical name of the Horse- 
 chestnut is Msculus hippocastanea. Hippos is 
 Greek for a horse. How did it get in here ? Can 
 this name have been a late one, given after " hoarse " 
 was corrupted into " horse," and was supposed to 
 
 Anglo-Saxon ancestors would have coined a hybrid word 
 for a common weed. 
 
 * It has been suggested that " toad " here is from an 
 old English word tod, a bunch or cluster, from the plant 
 presenting the appearance of a mass of threads like Flax 
 matted together. Equisetum, the Horse-tail, which grows 
 on the margins of ponds, is sometimes called Toadpipe, 
 perhaps for the same reason. 
 
56 PLANT NAMES 
 
 refer to the animal ? I have seen it stated that in 
 the Middle Ages the nuts were used as a remedy for 
 broken-winded horses, but I suspect that this was 
 conjectured to account for the " horse." In like 
 manner we may reject the explanation that the 
 section of the leaf stem resembles a horse-shoe, or 
 that such a mark is impressed on the back of young 
 branches where a leaf falls. Harebell, too, almost 
 certainly has nothing to do with hares. It has been 
 suggested that it means " air-bell," but there is 
 nothing especially airy about the flower. A more 
 probable derivation is that of " har " or " haw " 
 bell, " har " being North Country for blue. The 
 blue Cornflower was the Hardock. King Lear 
 picked Hardocks in the Corn. 
 
PLANT NAMES 57 
 
 HABITAT 
 
 I MAY give a few examples of plants which are named 
 after their habitat, or the natural conditions which 
 they love. Arenaria grows well in sandy soil. 
 Arena is the Latin for sand, and so it was applied to 
 the sanded place where the gladiators fought and 
 wrestlers struggled. The Anemone, sometimes 
 called the Wind/lower, because it thrives on windy 
 hillsides, comes from the Greek anemos, wind. 
 From this came the Latin anima, which signified air 
 in motion, then a breath, and in the masculine form 
 animus, the rational soul, then the spiritual Hfe in 
 man. It is most remarkable that in Hebrew, 
 Greek, and Latin the same word stands for wind and 
 spirit (John iii. 8), and possibly in Anglo-Saxon 
 ghost and gust are related. Convallaria, the Lily 
 of the Valley, is from convallis, a valley, and perhaps 
 rica, a mantle, as clothing the sheltered vale. Den- 
 drohium, a large genus of orchids, is called from 
 dendron, a tree, and bias, life, being a tree epiphyte. 
 Another large orchid genus is Epidendron, epi 
 meaning upon. Philodendron, which means loving 
 a tree, is also a tree epiphyte, but of another order. 
 Gypsophila means loving chalk — that tells us its 
 habitat. Ranunculus means a little frog, perhaps 
 because it loves marshy places. Sedum is from 
 sedeo, to sit, because it sits on rocks and walls. 
 And so in Enghsh it is called Stonecrop, because it 
 
 5 
 
58 PLANT NAMES 
 
 grows on stones. Seakale, Crambe mantima, is the 
 Kale or Cabbage that grows by the sea. Nemophila 
 means loving the grove, where it flourishes in its wild 
 state in California. Salix, the Sally, or Willow, is 
 from an old Sanskrit word meaning water. This 
 still survives in Swedish and Irish. Myrica comes 
 from murio, to flow, because it inhabits the banks of 
 rivers. Azalea is from azaleos, dry, because it has 
 the opposite taste. The Bracken, or Brake Fern, is so 
 called because it grows on rough or broken ground. 
 Heath, Heather, is from a Teutonic word meaning 
 waste, because it grows on waste ground (the 
 dwellers on heaths were the last to embrace Chris- 
 tianity, hence " heathen "). 
 
PLANT NAMES 59 
 
 DESCRIPTIVE NAMES 
 
 By far the greatest number of plant names refer 
 to some peculiarity of the plant in its root, or stem, 
 or leaf, or bloom, or seed, or smell, or general appear- 
 ance. To understand these names is instructive, 
 for they bring to our notice those features which 
 seemed most distinctive to the discoverer, and which 
 we might not have observed. 
 
 It must be admitted, however, that those who 
 assigned these names were not always happy in 
 their choice of the characteristic which they selected 
 as best describing the plant. It often related to 
 some very inconspicuous feature, or did not belong 
 to the plant which it described in any marked degree 
 — not more than to scores of other genera. And it 
 frequently happened that the discoverer, who was 
 acquainted with but one species of a genus, pitched 
 on some characteristic of that species which does 
 not belong to many or any of perhaps hundreds 
 of species of the same genus afterwards discovered. 
 It is therefore not characteristic of the genus, and 
 to know its meaning does not help us. There are 
 few sciences in which modern students are more 
 hampered by the ignorance or carelessness of their 
 predecessors than Botany so far as nomenclature 
 is concerned. For a name, once given, is almost 
 irrevocable, and a mistake thus made is perpetuated 
 for ever. On the other hand, many descriptive 
 
6o PLANT NAMES 
 
 generic names do felicitously select a distinctive and 
 salient feature common to the whole genus, and in 
 every case there is a certain interest in knowing 
 why flower-lovers, hundreds or perhaps thousands 
 of years ago, assigned to plants which beautify our 
 gardens and fields and woods to-day names by 
 which they are known in every civilized country in 
 the world. 
 
 Abies, the Spruce Fir, is said to come from Latin 
 aheo, to depart, because it springs so straight from 
 the ground. This derivation seems so far-fetched 
 as to be nearly incredible. 
 
 Acacia, thorny, from Greek ake, a sharp point (cf. 
 acute) . 
 
 Ac^NA, the same derivation, from the little 
 spines on the calyx. 
 
 Acanthus, thorny flower. 
 
 AcTiNiDiA, rayed, referring to the styles. 
 
 Adiantum, dry. Pliny says because water will 
 not adhere to the fronds. 
 
 Ageratum, said to be from Greek a, not, and geron, 
 old, because the flowers do not wither (doubtful). 
 
 AjUGA, unyoked, the calyx being one-leaved. 
 
 Allium, Garlic, from Celtic all, not. 
 
 Almond, from Amygdalus, the botanic name. 
 This is said to be from the Greek amysso, to lacerate, 
 referring to the fissured channels in the nut. The 
 al is due to Arabic influence (cf. alcoran). 
 
 Amaranthus, unfading. 
 
 Ampelopsis, like a vine. 
 
PLANT NAMES 6i 
 
 Androsace, from atier, a man, and sakos, a shield, 
 the anther hke an ancient buckler. 
 
 Antennaria, from the shape of the seed. An- 
 tenna was a sail-yard, thence apphed to the horns 
 of moths, etc. 
 
 Anthericum, from anthos and kerkis, a rod. 
 
 Apricot comes to us by a strange descent from 
 the Latin prcBcoqtms, precocious, early ripe. The 
 Greek borrowed it from the Latin, the Arabic from 
 the Greek, the Portuguese from the Arabic, the 
 French from the Portuguese, and the English from 
 the French. It then, after its travels, emerged as 
 apricock, and finally took the present form. The 
 initial a represents the Arabic article al in alharkok. 
 
 Argemone, probably from arges, white. 
 
 Aspidistra, from aspis, a shield, referring to the 
 shape of the stigma. 
 
 AsTiLBE, a, not, and stilho, to shine, inconspicuous 
 flowers. 
 
 AsTRANTiA, anti-aster, like a star. 
 
 Atriplex, ater, black, and plexus, woven together. 
 
 Borage, perhaps from low Latin hurra, a shaggy 
 cloak. 
 
 Broccoli, an Itahan word, plural of broccolo, a 
 sprout, diminutive of brocco, a skewer or stalk. 
 
 Bryony, from Greek bruo, to swell, to grow 
 luxuriantly. 
 
 Box, Buxus, from Greek puknos, hard, referring to 
 the wood. This word was then used for anything 
 made of Boxwood, hence a box, also the tap of a 
 barrel, and so to drink was called to booze. 
 
62 PLANT NAMES 
 
 Cabbage is from Italian capuccio, diminutive of 
 capo, a head, from Latin caput. We still speak of a 
 head of Cabbage. 
 
 Calceolaria, from calceolus, a slipper, which is 
 from calx, a heel, referring to the shape of the 
 flower (a recalcitrant person is one who hfts up his 
 heel against you). 
 
 Calendula, the Marigold, is said by Pliny to be 
 from CalendcB, the first day of the Roman month, 
 on which the calendar for the month was announced, 
 because it flowers in every month of the year. 
 He could hardly have referred to our Marigold, 
 which certainly does not. 
 
 Calliopsis, like a Calla, or Lily. 
 
 Calochortus, beautiful Grass, referring to the 
 leaves. 
 
 Calycanthus, from the calyx being hke a flower. 
 
 Camomile, Greek chamai melon, or the Ground 
 Apple, from the apple-Hke smell of the flower (see 
 Germander) . 
 
 Campanula, a bell-like flower [cf. campanile, a 
 belfry, which word, however, has no connection with 
 bell). 
 
 Caprifolium, the Honeysuckle, from caper, a 
 goat, a.nd folium, or the goat leaf, from its cHmbing 
 habit. 
 
 Carnation, from caro, carnis, flesh, the colour of 
 some varieties (cf. carnage, carnal, carnival, etc.). 
 
 Cauliflower, see Cole. 
 
 Celery, from French celeri, from ItaHan seleri, 
 from Greek selinon, Parsley. 
 
PLANT NAMES 63 
 
 Cerastium, from keras, a horn — shape of seed 
 vessels. 
 
 Cereus, the Torch Thistle, from cereus, waxy ; said 
 to refer to the fact that some species are as pliant 
 as soft wax, and some as brittle as wax tapers 
 {cf. sincere — i.e., without wax, referring to pure 
 honey, or perhaps to a statue in which there are 
 no flaws filled with wax). 
 
 Cham^rops, from chamai, near the ground, and 
 rJwps, a bush, a ground bush — i.e., as compared with 
 other tropical Palms (see Germander). 
 
 Chimonanthus, from cheima, winter, and anthos, 
 flowering in winter. 
 
 Chionanthus, the Fringe Tree, from chion, snow, 
 and anthos. 
 
 Chrysanthemum, chrusos, gold, and anthos, a 
 golden flower. 
 
 Cineraria, from cineres, ashes, from the grey down 
 on the stem [cf. a cinerary urn; no connection with 
 cinder) . 
 
 CiSTUS, from kiste, a box, referring to the shape 
 of the seed vessel [cf. cistern, chest; no connection 
 with cyst) . 
 
 Clematis, from klema, a Vine branch, from its 
 climbing habit. 
 
 Cockle. This word in Irish signified a small 
 bowl, then a shell, whence the bivalve, or 
 the shell of a nut, a husk, whence Corn-cockle 
 (Job xxxi. 40). 
 
 Coco Palm. This word, coco, in Portuguese 
 meant a bug-bear, an ugly mask to frighten children, 
 
64 PLANT NAMES 
 
 hence applied to the monkey face on the Coconut. 
 The original sense was skull, allied to French coque, 
 a shell; Latin concha. 
 
 Cole or Kale, Cauliflower, from the Greek 
 kaulis, a stalk, from koilos, hollow. (From this came 
 the Latin ccelum, heaven, French del, and English 
 deling, sometimes spelt ceiling.) 
 
 CoLEUS, from koleos, a sheath, referring to the 
 way in which the bases of the stamens are combined. 
 
 Composite. This order of plants is so called 
 because (as in the Daisy) the blooms are compounded 
 of a number of small flowers. 
 
 Convolvulus, from convolvo, to entwine. 
 
 CoRDYLiNE, the Club Palm, from kordule, a 
 cudgel. 
 
 Coreopsis, from koris, a bug, and opsis, appear- 
 ance, referring to the seeds. 
 
 CoRNUS, Dogwood, from kornu, a horn, referring 
 to the hard wood. 
 
 CoRONiLLA, corona, a crown, referring to the dis- 
 position of flowers. 
 
 CoRYLUS, the Hazel nut, from korus, a hood, 
 referring to the calyx covering the nut. 
 
 CoTONEASTER, from Cotonea, Pliny's name for the 
 Quince (see Cydonia), and ad instar, like — that is, 
 like a Quince. 
 
 Crassula, dim. of crassus, thick, referring to the 
 succulent leaves, 
 
 Crataegus, from kratos, strength. 
 
 Croton, from kroton, a tick — shape of 
 seeds. 
 
PLANT NAMES 65 
 
 CRUCiFERiE. The order whose flowers have 
 four petals in the form of a cross. From crux, a 
 cross, 3.ndferro, to bear. 
 
 Cryptomeria, from kruptos, hidden, and maris, a 
 part, referring to the flowers being concealed (crypt) . 
 
 Cyclamen, from kuklos, a wheel, referring 
 either to the spiral stem which shoots out the seed 
 when ripe, or to the shape of the flowers (cycle). 
 
 Cypress, Cupressus, is said to be from kueo, to 
 give birth to, and parisos, equal, referring to the 
 symmetrical growth. 
 
 Dendromecon, the Tree Poppy, from dendron 
 and mekon, a poppy. 
 
 DiCENTRA, from dis, twice, and kcntron, a spur, 
 referring to the shape of the flower. 
 
 Digitalis, the Foxglove, or Ladies' Fingers, from 
 digitus, a finger, referring to the shape of the 
 flowers. (The use of this word " digit " in arith- 
 metic arose from the habit of counting on the 
 fingers.) 
 
 DiMORPHOTHECA, from dimorphos, two-shaped, 
 and theke, a receptacle, the florets of the disk being, 
 of two forms. 
 
 Drimys means in Greek pungent, referring to the 
 bark. 
 
 Edelweiss, the little Swiss national flower, is 
 from two German words meaning noble and white. 
 
 Eglantine, the Sweetbriar, from Latin aculeus, a 
 prickle (acute). 
 
66 PLANT NAMES 
 
 Embothrium, from en, in, and bothros, a pit, 
 from the stamens being sunk in the corolla. 
 
 Enkianthus, from enkuos, filled, and anthos, the 
 flower being swollen in the middle. 
 
 Epilobium, the Willow Herb, from epi, on, and 
 lohos, the lobe of an ear, referring to the flower being 
 seated on the seed pod, which is ear-shaped. 
 
 Eremurus, from eremos, solitary (hermit), and 
 oura, a tail, the flower spike springing up alone. 
 
 Erica, from ereiko, to break, the wood being 
 brittle. 
 
 Erigeron is said to be from ear, Spring, and 
 geron, an old man, some species being hoary with 
 down early in the year. 
 
 Erin us, from ear, Spring, early flowering. 
 
 Eriobotrya, from erion, wool, and botrus, a 
 bunch of Grapes, referring to its downy clusters of 
 flowers. 
 
 Erythronium, from eruthros, red. 
 
 Eucalyptus, from eu, well, and kalupto, to cover, 
 the calyx concealing the bud. 
 
 Eucryphia, from eu, and kruphios, concealed 
 (crypt), same reason. 
 
 ExocHORDA, from ex, outside, and chorde, a 
 string, referring to the placenta. 
 
 Frag ARIA, the Strawberry, from fragrans, from 
 the smell of the fruit. 
 
 Fraxinella, dim. of Fraxinus, the ash. 
 
 Fritillaria, from fritillus, a chess-board, the 
 flowers of some species being chequered. 
 
PLANT NAMES 67 
 
 FuMARiA, from fumus, smoke, referring to the 
 smell. Fumitory is from the French fume de terre, 
 smoke from the earth. 
 
 Galanthus, the Snowdrop, from gala, milk 
 (galaxy, the milky way), and anthos. 
 
 Germander, the Speedwell, from Greek chamai, 
 on the ground, and drus, an Oak, corrupted in late 
 Greek to khamandrua, and in mediaeval Latin to gcr- 
 mandra. 
 
 Gillyflower, French giroflee, from the Latin 
 caryophylhim, from Greek karuophullon, a Clove 
 Tree, hterally nut leaf. 
 
 Gladiolus, dim. of gladius, a sword (gladiator), 
 referring to the leaves. 
 
 Globularia, from the globe-shaped flower. 
 
 Groundsel, an Anglo-Saxon word, literally 
 " ground-swallower," a fit name for such an abun- 
 dant weed. 
 
 Gymnocladon, gtimnos, naked (gymnasium), and 
 kladon, a branch, no buds being on the young wood. 
 
 Gynerium, Pampas Grass, from gune, female, and 
 erion, wool, the stigmas being woolly. 
 
 Hamamelis, the Wych Hazel, from hama, to- 
 gether, and melofi, fruit, the flowers and fruit being 
 on the tree at the same time. 
 
 Helianthus and Helianthemum, lit. Sunflower. 
 The former is said to be called from the behef that 
 the flowers turn round to face the sun as the day 
 goes on. The ItaUan for turning to the sun is gira- 
 
68 PLANT NAMES 
 
 sole, which was corrupted into Jerusalem Artichoke^ 
 Helianthus tuherosus, a plant which is not an Arti- 
 choke at all. From it the cook makes Palestine 
 soup ! 
 
 Heliotrope, too, means turning to the sun. 
 
 Hepatica, from hepatikos, belonging to the liver; 
 said to refer to the lobed leaves. 
 
 HuMULUS, the Hop, from humus, the ground 
 (humility), because it runs along the ground if not 
 supported. 
 
 Hydrangea, hud or, water, and angeion, a vessel, 
 from the cup form of the seed vessel. 
 
 Hypericum, St. John's Wort, from huper, because 
 of, and ereike, heath, because they grow in similar 
 places. 
 
 IxiA, from ixos, birdlime (from which viscous), 
 referring to the clammy sap. 
 
 LABiATiE. An order whose flowers have a lip 
 (labium) . 
 
 Leptosiphon, from leptos, slender, and siphon, a 
 tube, referring to the shape of the flowers. 
 
 Leptospermum, from leptos, thin, and sperma, a 
 seed. 
 
 Lettuce, from lac, milk; has a milky juice. 
 
 Leucojum, from leukos, white, and ion, a violet, 
 referring to the colour and fragrance of the 
 flowers. 
 
 Lilac, a Spanish word from the Turkish leilaq, 
 from Persian lilaj, the meaning being the blue tree. 
 
PLANT NAMES 69 
 
 Lime, or Linden, is from an Anglo-Saxon word 
 meaning smooth or pliant, easily carved. 
 
 LiNARiA, Toadflax, from the resemblance of its 
 leaves to Linmn, Flax. 
 
 LiTHOSPERMUM, stone seed. 
 
 LuNARiA, Honesty, from luna, the moon — shape of 
 seed vessels. 
 
 Lychnis, from luchnos, a lamp — bright flowers. 
 
 Malope, from malos, white (uncertain). 
 
 Meconopsis, from mekon, a Poppy, and opsis, 
 appearance like a Poppy. 
 
 Melianthus, the Honey Flower. 
 
 Mesembrianthemum, from mesos, the middle, 
 hemera, the day, and anthos, the midday flower. 
 
 Mespilus, the Medlar, from mesos, half, and 
 pilos, a ball, referring to the shape of the fruit. 
 Medlar is derived from Mespilus through the old 
 French Mesle. 
 
 Metrosideros, from metra, the matrix, and 
 sideros, iron, referring to the hard wood. 
 
 Mistletoe, from Anglo-Saxon mist, glue or bird- 
 lime, and tan, a twig. Called from its sticky berries. 
 
 MiTRARiA, from mitra, a turban or mitre, refer- 
 ring to the shape of the seed pod. 
 
 MuscARi, the Grape Hyacinth, from its smell like 
 that of Musk. 
 
 Myosotis, Forget-me-not, from mus, a mouse, 
 and ous, an ear, referring to the shape of the leaves. 
 
 Myrrh, from the Arabic murr, bitter; Hebrew 
 mar (Ruth i. 20). 
 
70 PLANT NAMES 
 
 Nasturtium, from nasus, a nose, and tortium, 
 twisting, from its acrid smell. 
 
 Nephrolepsis, from nephros, a kidney, and lepis, 
 a scale, referring to the covering of the spore cases 
 and their kidney-like shape. 
 
 NiGELLA, from niger, black, referring to the 
 seeds. 
 
 NoTOSPARTiUM. Notos meant the south. We 
 have it in Notofagus, the New Zealand Beech, etc. 
 Sparton was cordage, then a broom. 
 
 Odontoglossum, from odous, a tooth, and 
 glossa, a tongue, referring to the indentations on the 
 lip of the orchid. 
 
 Olearia, Hke an oka, or OHve Tree. 
 
 Omphalodes, from omphalos, the navel, and 
 eidos, like, referring to the seed. 
 
 Oncidium, from ongkos, a swelling, excrescences 
 on the base of the lip. 
 
 Onion, from unio, a unity, which the Romans 
 appHed to a single large pearl or an onion. 
 
 OsMANTHUS, from osjne, perfume, and anthos. 
 
 OxALis, from oxus, acid. 
 
 OzoTHAMNUS, from ozoSf a branch, and thamnos, 
 a shrub, a many-branched shrub. It is now called 
 Helichrysum, or Sun Gold. 
 
 Palm, from palame, the palm of the hand with 
 outspread fingers, from the shape of the leaves. 
 
 Parsley, Greek petroselinon, from petros, a rock, 
 and selinon, Parsley (see Celery). 
 
PLANT NAMES yi 
 
 Parsnip, from Latin pastinaca, meaning a root 
 dug up, from pastinare, to dig up. 
 
 Pentstemon, from pente, five, with five stamens. 
 
 Periploca, intertwining, from peri, around, and 
 pleko, to twine. 
 
 Periwinkle, from Latin pervinca, from per, 
 thoroughly, and vincio, to bind. (No connection 
 with the shell fish.) 
 
 Phacelia, from phakeleos, a bundle, the flowers 
 being grouped. 
 
 Phalaris, Canary Grass, from phalaros, shining, 
 referring to shining seeds. 
 
 Phillyrea, from phullon, a leaf, a leafy shrub 
 with inconspicuous flowers. 
 
 Phlox, a flame — ^briUiant flowers. 
 
 Photinia, from photeinos, shining, glossy leaves. 
 
 Physalis, from phusa, a bladder, the large seed 
 pod. 
 
 Pimpernel, from hipinella or hipennula, double- 
 winged. Penna is a feather (a pen means a quill). 
 
 Pineapple is called from the similarity of the 
 fruit to a Pine cone. 
 
 PiNGUicuLA, Butterwort, from pingids, fat, greasy 
 leaves. 
 
 Pink, from an old Celtic word pioc, meaning to 
 prick, allied with pick and peak. Pink is a nasalized 
 form. The flower is so called from the delicately 
 cut or pinked edge of the petals, and the colour is 
 called from the flower. 
 
 PiNUS and Picea are from pix, pitch, resin- 
 bearing genera. Pinus is short from picnus. 
 
72 PLANT NAMES 
 
 PiPTANTHUS, from pipto, to fall, and anthos, the 
 flowers having short duration. 
 
 PiTTOSPORUM, pitch seed, covered with sticky 
 pulp. 
 
 Plagianthus, from plagios, slanting, and anthos, 
 the petals having unequal sides. 
 
 Plane, Plantago, Plantain, Platanus, from 
 platus, fiat or broad. The Plane Tree has spreading 
 branches, the Plantain has wide fiat leaves. From 
 this word platus come plate, pate, place, plaice, 
 plant, plaster, etc. But plane (a level surface), 
 plane (a tool), plain, plan, plank, explain, etc., come 
 from a quite different Greek word, plax, a flat place. 
 
 PoDOCARPUS, from pous, a foot, and karpos, fruit, 
 having the seed on stalks. 
 
 Polyanthus, many-flowered. 
 
 PoLYGALA, Milkwort, abundance of milky juice. 
 
 Polygonum and Polygonatum, Solomon's Seal, 
 though distinct genera, have the same meaning, 
 from gonu, a knee (genuflexion), many-jointed. 
 
 PoLYPODiUM, many-footed, the division of the 
 creeping stem. 
 
 PoLYSTiCHUM, many-rowcd, stichos, a row, from 
 the rows of spores. 
 
 Pomegranate, from pomum, an Apple, and 
 granum, a grain — fruit full of seeds. The botanic 
 name is Punica granatum, from puniceus, red, the 
 flowers being red. 
 
 PoPULUS, Poplar, from palpo, to quiver — 
 trembling leaves. The o is long; in populus, a 
 people, it is short. 
 
PLANT NAMES 73 
 
 Primula, Primrose (no connection with Rose), 
 from primus, first, early flowering. 
 
 Pteris, Bracken, fronds like wings. 
 
 Pterocarya, from pteris, a wing, and karuon, a 
 nut — winged seeds. 
 
 Pumpkin, Greek pepon, a kind of Melon; from 
 pepto, to ripen (then easily digested; compare 
 dyspeptic) . 
 
 Pyrethrum, from pur, fire, referring to its acrid 
 roots. 
 
 Raisin, from racemus, a cluster. 
 
 Raspberry, the rough berry, like a rasp. 
 
 Retinospora, from retina, resin, and sporon, seed. 
 (This is not now a genus; it is merged in Cupressus.) 
 
 Rhamnus, a Celtic word signifying a tuft of 
 branches. 
 
 Rhaphiolepis, from rhaphis, a needle, and lepis, 
 a scale, referring to the shape of bracts. 
 
 Rhaphithamnus, the Needle Shrub. 
 
 Rhododendron, the Rose Tree. 
 
 Rubus, from ruber, red, referring to the colour 
 of the fruit. (But the Blackberry is Rubus fruti- 
 cosus.) 
 
 Ruscus, Butcher's Broom, is from two Celtic 
 words meaning Box and Holly. 
 
 Salpiglossis, from salpinx, a trumpet, and 
 glossa, a tongue. Shape of flowers with tongue-like 
 style. 
 
 Sanguinaria, from sanguis, blood, the red juice. 
 
 6 
 
74 PLANT NAMES 
 
 Saponaria, from sapo, soap; the bruised leaves 
 form a lather Hke soap. 
 
 Sarsaparilla, from Spanish zarza (from the 
 Basque), a bramble, and parilla, dim. of parra, a Vine. 
 
 ScHizANTHUS, from schizo, to cut, and anthos, the 
 petals pinked into fringes. 
 
 ScHizoPHRAGMA, from schizo and phragma, a 
 wall or enclosure ; the portions of the wall between 
 the ribs of the fruit fall away when ripe. 
 
 ScHizosTYLis, from schizo and stylos, a column. 
 (This latter word came to be used of a stake or any 
 pointed instrument, then of the iron pen for writing 
 on wax tablets, then of the author's " style " of 
 writing.) 
 
 SciADOPiTYS, the Umbrella Tree, from skia, 
 shade, and pitus, a fir — like a closed umbrella. 
 
 Sempervivum, from semper, always, and vivus, 
 alive — tenacity of life. 
 
 Senecio, from senex, an old man. The somewhat 
 fanciful explanation given is that the seed vessel is 
 like a bald head. 
 
 SiLENE, Catchfly, from sialon, saliva; the gummy 
 secretion of the leaves entraps flies. 
 
 Smilax, from smile, a knife, perhaps referring to 
 shape of leaves. 
 
 SoLDiNELLA (scc SoHdago), coin-shaped leaves. 
 
 Sorrel, from sour, referring to the taste. 
 
 Sparaxis, from sparrasso, to tear — lacerated 
 spathes. 
 
 Spartium, Spanish Broom, from sparton, cordage, 
 referring to the flexible shoots. 
 
PLANT NAMES 75 
 
 Spirea, from speira, a wreath; the flowering 
 branches were used as garlands. 
 
 Staphylea, from staphule, a bunch of Grapes — the 
 flowers in clusters. 
 
 Stephanandra, from Stephanos, a crown, and 
 aner, a man — the stamens arranged like a crown. 
 
 Stephanotis, Stephanos, and ous, an ear, from 
 the ear-like growth on the stamens. 
 
 Stock, short for Stock Gilhflower — that is, the one 
 that has a stronger stem than the Clove Gilliflowers. 
 
 Streptocarpus, from streptos, twisted, and karpos, 
 a fruit — the long twisted seed pods. 
 
 Sycamore, from sukon, a fig, and moron, a mul- 
 berry. What we call so [Acer pseudoplatanus) is 
 akin to neither. Sycamine (Luke xvii. 6) is a 
 Hebrew word (no connection with sukon), and 
 denoted a mulberry. 
 
 Symphoricarpus, from sun, together, phoreo, to 
 bear, and karpos, bearing clustered fruit. 
 
 Tamarisk, a Sanskrit name meaning the tree 
 with black stems. 
 
 Taxodium, from taxus and oides, like a yew. 
 
 Thalictrum, from thallo, to flourish, referring to 
 the vivid green of the young shoots. 
 
 Thistle, from an Anglo-Saxon word meaning a 
 tearer. 
 
 TiARELLA, dim. of tiara, a diadem, from the form 
 of the seed pod. 
 
 Tricuspidaria, named from its three-cusped 
 petals. 
 
76 PLANT NAMES 
 
 Trifolium, Trefoil, three-lobed leaves. 
 
 Trillium, Triteleia, have the various parts of 
 flower, etc., in threes. (These are distinct genera; 
 the latter is now called Brodiaea.) 
 
 Tritoma, temno, to cut — three sharp edges of the 
 ends of the leaves. 
 
 Trollius, from German trol, round, has globular 
 flowers. 
 
 Tulip comes to us through the French, Italian, 
 and Turkish from the Persian dulhand, a turban 
 (another form of the same word), from the shape of 
 the flower. 
 
 Turnip is a turned or round nip, from Latin napus, 
 a turnip. 
 
 Ulex, Furze, from Celtic ac, a point, referring to 
 the spiny branches. 
 
 Veratrum, from vere, truly, and ater, black, the 
 colour of the roots. 
 
 Verbascum, Mullein, from harhascum, bearded — 
 the bearded stamens. 
 
 Vetch, Vicia, from vincio, to bind, twining. 
 Fitch (Isa. xxviii. 27) is the same word. 
 
 ViNCA (see Periwinkle). 
 
 Willow Herb, Epilobium, from the shape of the 
 leaves. 
 
 Woodruff is perhaps from the ruff or whorl of 
 leaves round the stem. 
 
PLANT NAMES ^^ 
 
 Wych, Elm, Hazel, is sometimes supposed to be 
 from witch, because a Hazel twig is used in water- 
 divining. It is from an Anglo-Saxon word wican, 
 to bend, from its pliant branches. (Compare wicker, 
 weak, and wick of a candle. A wicket is a small 
 gate that easily turns, and a wicket in cricket was 
 at first " a small gate," being 2 feet wide by i foot 
 high.) 
 
 Xanthoceras, from xanthos, yellow, and keras, 
 a horn, referring to the yellow horn-like nectaries. 
 
78 PLANT NAMES 
 
 SPECIFIC NAMES 
 
 The following list of specific names, with their 
 meanings, is not, of course, exhaustive. Such a list 
 would fill a volume. It is computed that there are 
 more than 15,000 species of orchids, 12,000 in the 
 Compositae family, 7,000 Leguminosas, and 10,000 
 Ascomycetes, a class of the higher Fungi. This 
 gives us an idea of the enormous number of plant 
 species that have been defined and named. I have 
 therefore reduced the Hst to reasonable dimensions 
 by the omission of the following classes of names : 
 
 1. Names of little known, obscure, or tropical 
 
 species which are of small interest to the 
 ordinary gardener. 
 
 2. Names commemorative of persons, which may 
 
 be recognized by their beginning with a 
 capital. 
 
 3. Names referring to a country or region, as 
 
 americanus or alpinus. 
 
 4. Self-explanatory names, as superbus. 
 
 5. Names compounded with the prefixes or ter- 
 
 minations given below. Every gardener 
 should be thoroughly familiar with these, as 
 they enter into and explain a vast number 
 of names. 
 
 List of Prefixes and Terminations 
 In this Hst the position of the stroke indicates 
 whether a prefix or a termination is meant. Thus 
 'Oides is a termination, steno- a prefix. In some 
 
PLANT NAMES 
 
 79 
 
 cases the auxiliary word is used in both ways, then 
 it has the stroke both before and after. In the case 
 of terminations which are Latin or Latinized adjec- 
 tives the last letters are omitted, as they vary with 
 the gender of the genus. Thus acanth- may be 
 either acanthtis, acantha, or acanthum ; glab- may be 
 glaber, glabra, or glabrum ; grand- may be grandis or 
 grande. 
 
 Various forms of the same word are sometimes 
 met with; thus crenatus and crenulatus, fulvus and 
 fulvidus, CBstivus and cBstivalis, foliosus and folio- 
 losus. In such cases the simplest form is given. 
 
 a- 
 
 . not 
 
 -escens 
 
 . . 
 
 becoming 
 
 -acanth- 
 
 . a thorn 
 
 (canescens 
 
 becoming 
 
 alb- . . . 
 
 . white 
 
 
 
 white) 
 
 -anthus ( 
 
 3r 
 
 eu- . . 
 
 
 well or beau- 
 
 -anthes 
 
 a flower 
 
 
 
 tiful 
 
 anti- 
 
 . hke 
 
 -fer . . 
 
 
 bearing 
 
 argento- 
 
 . silvery 
 
 -flor- 
 
 
 a flower 
 
 atro- 
 
 . black 
 
 -fol .. 
 
 
 a leaf 
 
 aureo- 
 
 . golden 
 
 -form 
 
 
 the shape 
 
 bi- .. 
 
 . two 
 
 glab- 
 
 
 smooth 
 
 brachy- . 
 
 . short 
 
 grand- 
 
 
 large 
 
 calo- 
 
 . beautiful 
 
 gymn- 
 
 
 naked 
 
 -carp 
 
 . a fruit 
 
 -gyn- 
 
 
 female 
 
 -caulis 
 
 . a stem 
 
 hsem- 
 
 
 blood 
 
 cephal- 
 
 . a head 
 
 hetero- 
 
 
 of different 
 
 cheir- 
 
 . a hand 
 
 
 
 sorts 
 
 chrys- 
 
 . golden 
 
 holo- 
 
 
 entirely 
 
 circum- 
 
 . aroimd 
 
 homo- 
 
 
 resembling 
 
 -cladon 
 
 . a shoot 
 
 -immus 
 
 or 
 
 
 crypt- 
 
 . concealed 
 
 -issimus 
 
 superlatively 
 
 dasy- 
 
 . hairy 
 
 in- . . 
 
 
 not 
 
 erythro- 
 
 . red 
 
 iso- . . 
 
 
 equal 
 
So 
 
 PLANT NAMES 
 
 
 lati- 
 
 . . broad 
 
 
 -pod- 
 
 footed 
 
 lepto- 
 
 .. thin 
 
 
 poly- 
 
 many 
 
 macr- 
 
 . . large 
 
 
 pseudo- . . 
 
 false 
 
 mega- 
 
 . . large 
 
 
 ptero- 
 
 winged 
 
 melan- 
 
 . . black 
 
 
 rhiz- 
 
 a root 
 
 micr- 
 
 . . small 
 
 
 rhod- 
 
 rosy 
 
 mon- 
 
 . . single 
 
 
 schiz- 
 
 spht 
 
 multi- 
 
 . . much or 
 
 scler- 
 
 hard 
 
 
 many 
 
 semi- 
 
 half 
 
 myri- 
 
 . . innumerable 
 
 semper- . . 
 
 always 
 
 nudi- 
 
 . . naked 
 
 
 sten- 
 
 narrow 
 
 -oides 
 
 .. like 
 
 
 strept- . . 
 
 twisted 
 
 oligo- 
 
 . . f ew 
 
 
 sub-, suf- 
 
 under or 
 
 -opsis 
 
 .. like 
 
 
 
 somewhat 
 
 oxy- 
 
 . . sharp 
 
 
 tetra- . . 
 
 four 
 
 pachy- 
 
 .. thick 
 
 
 -thamnus 
 
 branched 
 
 parvi- 
 
 . . small 
 
 
 trech- 
 
 hairy 
 
 penni- 
 
 . . feather 
 
 
 uni- 
 
 one 
 
 pent- 
 
 . . five 
 
 
 xanth- 01 
 
 
 phil- 
 
 . . loving 
 
 
 zanth- 
 
 yellow 
 
 -phyll- 
 
 . . leafed 
 
 
 xyl- 
 
 woody 
 
 platy- 
 
 . . flat or 
 
 wide 
 
 zyg- 
 
 yoked to- 
 
 pleur- 
 
 .. at the 
 
 side 
 
 
 gether 
 
 
 or ribbed 
 
 
 
 Acaulis, stemless; acer, sharp, pungent; acumi- 
 natus, sharply pointed; aculeatus, prickly; adpressus, 
 pressed on ; cBstivus, in summer ; affinis, related to ; 
 agrestis, rural; alatus, winged; albescens, albicans, 
 becoming white; albus, white; algidus, cold; alpes- 
 tris, mountain; amabilis, lovable; amarus, bitter; 
 ambiguus, doubtful; amcenus, pleasant; amplexi- 
 caulis, sheathing the stem; anceps, two-headed; 
 angustus, narrow; annularius, ringed; anomalus, 
 irregular; apertus, open; apiculatus, pointed; 
 
PLANT NAMES 8i 
 
 aptenis, suitably fitted; aquatilis, living in water; 
 aquifolius, needle-leafed; arachnitis, cobwebby; 
 arhoreiis, tree-like; arenosus, sandy; argenteus, ar- 
 gurus, silvery; argutus, clear or pungent; aridus, 
 dry; arisfatus, best; arniatus, armed; arvensis, be- 
 longing to cornfields; asper, rough; aucuparius, en- 
 ticing birds; augustus, majestic; aureus, golden; 
 australis, southern; azureus, blue; aveleanus, torn 
 from. 
 
 Baccatus, berried; harhatus, bearded; bellus, beau- 
 tiful; hlandus, pleasant; bonus, good; borealis, 
 northern; botrycides, bearing bunches like Grapes; 
 bracteat'us, furnished with bracts; brevis, short; 
 brumalis, wintry; bryoides, moss-like; bullatus, like 
 a bubble. 
 
 Cceruleus, heavenly blue; ccEsius, bluish-grey; 
 ccBspihts, turfy ; calyculatus, calycinus, furnished with 
 a calyx; cambricus, Welsh; campanulatus, bell- 
 shaped flowers; campestris, belonging to plains; 
 cancellatus, latticed; candicans, canescens, growing 
 white ; candidus, white and shining ; canus, greyish- 
 white; capensis, from the Cape of Good Hope; capil- 
 laris, hair-like; capitatus, furnished with a head; 
 cardinalis, red; cams, dear; carneus, flesh-coloured; 
 castus, chaste, spotless; caudatus, tailed; caulis, 
 stemmed; cernuus, with face down; cirrhosus, curled; 
 ciliatus, ciliaris, furnished with hair like eye-lashes ; 
 cinereus, covered with ashes; citrinus, yellow; 
 clarus, brilliant; coccineus, scarlet; cochlearis, snail- 
 shaped; ccelestis, heavenly; colosseus, gigantic; 
 
82 PLANT NAMES 
 
 comatus, hairy; communis, common; comptus, 
 adorned; concinnus, neat; con color, of same colour; 
 confertus, dense; congestus, crowded; contortus, 
 twisted ; copiosus, abundant ; cordahis, heart-shaped ; 
 coriaceus, leathery; cornutus, horned; coruscans, 
 flashing; corymbosus, with clusters; crassus, thick; 
 crenatus, scolloped; crispus, curled; cruentus, bloody; 
 cuneatus, wedge-shaped; curtus, short; cuspidatus, 
 pointed; cyneus, dark blue. 
 
 Dealbatus, white-washed; decandra, with ten 
 stamens; decorus, becoming; decumbens, lying down; 
 decurrens, passing down and adhering to ; decussatus, 
 intersecting; dentatus, toothed; dichotomus, twice 
 forked; didymus, twin; dependens, hanging down; 
 diffusus, spread; dimorphus, of two forms; dis- 
 color, of two colours; distichus, in two rows; divari- 
 catus, stretched apart; ^o/a^r^i^ws, hatchet-shaped ; 
 dulcis, sweet; durus, hard. 
 
 Edulis, edible; elatior, higher; esculentus, edible; 
 eximius, uncommon, excellent; excelsus, lofty. 
 
 Falcatus, scythe-shaped; farinosus, mealy; fasti- 
 giatus, sharpened to a point ;fibrosus,fastuosus, fibry ; 
 filiferus, bearing threads ; fimbriatus, fringed ; fissus, 
 split; flabellatus, fan-shaped; flaccidus, flabby; 
 flavus, yellow; flexuosus, full of bends; floccosus, 
 woolly; florabundus, full of flowers; flore pleno, 
 double-flowered ; floridus, flourishing ; fcetidus, stink- 
 ing; foliosus, leafy; formosus, beautiful; frondosus, 
 leafy; fruticosus, bushy; fugax, transitory; fulgens, 
 fulgiuus, §,le3.mmg ; fulvus, tdiwny; fuscus, dark. 
 
PLANT NAMES 83 
 
 Gelidus, icy; gemmatus, bearing buds; glaber, 
 smooth; glaucus, bluish-grey; glomeratus, heaped 
 together ; glutinosus, sticky; gracilis, slender ;grandis, 
 large ; gratiosus, favoured ; grains, pleasant ; graveo- 
 lens, strong-smelling. 
 
 Helix, winding; hiemalis, wintry; hirsutus, with 
 stiff hairs ; hirtus, shaggy ; hispidus, rough with hairs ; 
 horridus, bristly ; hortensis, belonging to the garden ; 
 humilis, low; hyperboreus, northern. 
 
 Igneus, fiery ; illustris, renowned ; imherhis, beard- 
 less ; imbricatus, overlapping, like tiles ; immaculatus, 
 unspotted ; incanus, grey ; incarnatus, flesh-coloured ; 
 incisus, divided ; inermis, unarmed (without thorns) ; 
 inflatus, swollen; insignis, remarkable; integer, 
 entire; intumescens, swelling; involucratus, with 
 volucre, or envelope round flowers; iridescens, 
 shining with various colours. 
 
 Maxinius, greatest; melano-, black; melleus, 
 honeyed; micans, gUttering; mirabilis, wonderful; 
 mitis, mild, ripe; mollis, soft; mucronatus, having a 
 sharp point; multus, much, many; muralis, on the 
 wall; muscoides, moss-like; mutabilis, changeable. 
 
 Nanus, dwarf; neglectus, disregarded; nemorosus, 
 nemoralis, of the grove; niger, black; nitens, nitidus, 
 shining; nivalis, snowy, white; nodosus, knotty; 
 nudiis, naked; nutans, nodding. 
 
 Obconicus, shape of an inverted cone ; occidentalis, 
 western ; ochroleucus, yellow white ; oculatus, having 
 
84 PLANT NAMES 
 
 eyes, spotted ; officinalis, used in a workshop, hence 
 medicinal, or useful for manufacture ; olens, strong- 
 smelling; onustus, laden; oppositifolius, having 
 opposite leaves; ornatus, adorned; oxycanthus, with 
 sharp flowers. 
 
 Pallidus, pale; paluster, marshy; paniculatus, 
 tufted; pannosus, ragged, shrivelled; papillosus, 
 bearing small nipples ; parvus, small ; patens, patulus, 
 open, patent; paucus, few; pectoralis, belonging to 
 the breast; pedatus, foot-like; pedunculatus, stalked; 
 peltatus, armed with a shield, shield-like; pennatus, 
 winged; peregrinus, foreign, strange; petiolaris, 
 having leaf stalks; petrceus, rocky; pileatus, capped; 
 pilosus, hairy; plenus, full; plicatus, folded; plu- 
 mosus, feathered; prcecox, premature, precocious, 
 early; prcestans, outstanding; pratensis, growing in a 
 meadow ; princeps, chief ; procerus, tall ; procumbens, 
 lying down; pubens, mature, luxuriant; pudicus, 
 modest; pulcher, pulchella, beautiful; pullus, dark; 
 pulverulentus, dusty; pumilus, dwarf; pungens, 
 pricking, stinging ; purpureus, purple ; pusillus, very 
 small; pygmcBus, dwarf. 
 
 Quinatus, fivefold. 
 
 Racemosus, full of clusters; radicans, rooting; 
 ramosus, branched; rectus, straight or upright; 
 reflexus, bent back; repens, sudden, unexpected; 
 reptans, creeping ; reticulatus, netted ; retroflexus, bent 
 back ; retusus, thrust back ; ringens, gaping ; riparius, 
 growing on river banks; ruber, red; rufus, ruddy; 
 
PLANT NAMES 85 
 
 rugosus, wrinkled; rupictdus, growing on rocks; 
 ruHlans, shining with ruddy gleam. 
 
 Sanguineus, bloody; sarmentosus, full of twigs; 
 sativus, cultivated; saxatilis, frequenting rocks; 
 scaber, rough; scandens, climbing; sclerus, hard; 
 scutatuSy^SLvmed with a shield ; secundus, from sequor, 
 to follow, meant second in order, then second-rate, 
 also, as used of a following wind or tide, favourable, 
 propitious (in botany it means *' on one side"; 
 thus secundiflora means that the flower is on one 
 side, not round the flower stem) ; serratus, notched ; 
 sempervivus, ever-living; sessiliflorus, flowers sitting 
 tight, no stalks; setosus, setaceus, setigerus, bristly; 
 sinensis, Chinese; sinicus, curved, swelling like a 
 breast; sinuosus, wavy; sordidus, dirty, paltry; 
 speciosus, beautiful; spectabilis, worth seeing, not- 
 able; spicatus, spiked; squamosus, scaled; stellatus, 
 starry; striatus, fluted; stridus, drawn together, 
 narrow; suavis, pleasant; subidatus, awl-shaped; 
 sylvaticus, sylvestris, pertaining to woods. 
 
 Tedus, covered; tenebrosus, gloomy; tener, tender; 
 tenuis, thin, weak; teres, rounded; tomentosus, 
 densely haired; tortus, tortuosus, twisted; typhina, 
 like a bulrush. 
 
 Uliginosus, m2iTshy ; umbellatus, branched like an 
 umbrella; umbrosus, shady; urens, burning, stinging; 
 utilis, useful. 
 
 Vagans, rambling; vaginatus, sheathed; validus, 
 strong ; velatus, veiled ; venenosus, poisonous ; venosus, 
 
86 PLANT NAMES 
 
 veined; venustus, charming; verecundus, bashful; 
 vernus, vernalis, pertaining to the spring; verus, 
 true; versicolor, of various colours; verticillatus, 
 arranged in whorls; vespertinus, belonging to the 
 evening; villosus, shaggy; virens, viridis, green; 
 virgatus, twiggy; viscosiis, sticky; vulgaris, ordinary. 
 
INDEX 
 
 Aaron's Rod, 38 
 Abelia, 42 
 Abies, 60 
 Abutilon, 30 
 Acacia, 60 
 Acaena, 60 
 Acanthus, 60 
 Achillea, 19, 50 
 Aconite, 44 
 Adiantum, 60 
 Agapanthus, 38 
 Agaricum, 44 
 Agave, 38 
 Ageratum, 60 
 Ajuga, 60 
 Akebia, 32 
 Alder, 31 
 Allium, 60 
 Almond, 60 
 Alnus, 31 
 Aloe, 30 
 
 Alstroeraeria, 42 
 Althaea, 34 
 Alyssura, 34 
 Amaranthus, 60 
 Amaryllis, 50 
 Ampelopsis, 60 
 Amydalus, 60 
 Anagallis, 34 
 Anchusa, 34 
 Andromeda, 50 
 Androsace, 61 
 Anemone, 57 
 Antennaria, 61 
 Anthericum, 61 
 Antholyza, 53 
 Antirrhinum, 53 
 Apple, 32 
 Apricot, 61 
 Arabis, 44 
 Araucaria, 44 
 Arenaria, 57 
 Argemone, 61 
 Aristolochia, 34 
 Aristotelia, 42 
 
 Armeria, 31 
 Artemisia, 50 
 Artichoke, 30 
 Arum, 30 
 Arundo, 31 
 Ash 32 
 
 Asparagus, 30 
 Aspen, 32 
 Asphodel, 39 
 Aspidistra, 61 
 Asplenium^ 34 
 Aster, 28 
 Astilbe, 61 
 Astrantia, 61 
 Atriplex, 61 
 Aubrietia, 42 
 Aucuba, 31 
 Azalea, 58 
 Azara, 42 
 
 Balm, 30 
 Bamboo, 32 
 Bambusa, 32 
 Barley, 32 
 Beech, 32 
 Beet, 31 
 Begonia, 42 
 Belladonna, 35 
 Bellis, 38 
 Benthamia, 42 
 Berberis, 30 
 Bergamot, 44 
 Bignonia, 42 
 Birch, 32 
 Blechnum, 30 
 Bluebell, 38 
 Bocconia, 42 
 Borage, 61 
 Box, 61 
 Bracken, 58 
 Briar, 32 
 Broccoli, 61 
 Broom, 32 
 Browallia, 42 
 Bryony, 61 
 
 87 
 
88 
 
 PLANT NAMES 
 
 Buckwheat, 6 
 Buddleia, 42 
 Bugloss, 53 
 Bulrush, 55 
 Bupleurum, 53 
 Buttercup, 38 
 
 Cabbage, 62 
 Cactus, 30 
 Calceolaria, 62 
 Calendula, 62 
 Calla, 39 
 Calliopsis, 62 
 Callistemon, 39 
 Callistephus, 39 
 Calochortus, 62 
 Calycanthus, 62 
 Camellia, 42 
 Camomile, 62 
 Campanula, 62 
 Candytuft, 47 
 Canna, 30 
 Caprifolium, 62 
 Capsicum, 48 
 Cardamine, 35 
 Carduus, 48 
 Carnation, 62 
 Carpentaria, 42 
 Carpinus, 48 
 Carrot, 30 
 Carya, 51 
 Cassinia, 42 
 Catalpa, 32 
 Cauliflower, 62 
 Ceanothus, 30 
 Cedar, 30 
 Celandine, 34, 53 
 Celery, 30, 62 
 Centaurea, 51 
 Cerastium, 63 
 Cerasus, 45 
 Cercis, 30 
 Cereus, 63 
 Chamaerops, 63 
 Charlock, 6 
 Cheiranthus, 48 
 Cherry, 44 
 Chestnut, 44 
 Chimonanthus, 63 
 Chionadoxa, 39 
 Chionanthus, 63 
 Choisya, 42 
 Chrysanthemum, 63 
 Cineraria, 63 
 Cinnamon, 30 
 
 Cistus, 63 
 Clarkia, 42 
 Clematis, 63 
 Clerodendron, 34 
 Clethra, 30 
 Clianthus, 39 
 Cneorum, 31 
 Cockle, 63 
 Cocoa, 32 
 Coco Palm, 64 
 Colchicum, 44 
 Cole, 64 
 Coleus,63 
 Collinsia, 42 
 Coltsfoot, 37, 53 
 Columbine, 3 
 Colutea, 31 
 Compositce, 64 
 Convallaria, 57 
 Convolvulus, 64 
 Cordyline, 64 
 Coreopsis, 64 
 Corn us, 64 
 Coronilla, 64 
 Correa, 42 
 Corylus, 64 
 CosmoS; 39 
 Cotoneaster, 64 
 Cranberry, 53 
 Crassula, 64 
 Crataegus, 64 
 Cress, 32 
 
 Crinodendron, 22 
 Crinum, 31 
 Crocus, 31 
 Croton, 64 
 Cruciferae, 65 
 Cryptomeria, 65 
 Cucumber, 31 
 Cupressus, 65 
 Currant, 44 
 Cyclamen, 65 
 Cydonia, 45 
 Cynara, 54 
 Cynoglossum, 53 
 Cypress, 65 
 Cypripedium, 51 
 Cytisus, 45 
 
 Daffodil, 39 
 Dahlia, 43 
 Daisy, 38 
 Damask, 45 
 Damson, 45 
 Dandelion,^6 
 
INDEX 
 
 89 
 
 Daphne, 51 
 Datura, 30 
 Dendrobium, 57 
 Dendromecum, 65 
 Desfontanea, 43 
 Dianthus, 39 
 Dicentra, 65 
 Dictamnus, 31 
 Digitalis, 65 
 Dimorphotheca,',65 
 Diospyrus, 39 
 Dog Rose, 14, 54 
 Dogwood, 54 
 Doronicum, 30 
 Drimys, 65 
 Dry as, 51 
 
 Edelweiss, 65 
 Eglantine, 65 
 Elm, 31 
 
 Embothriura, 66 
 Endive, 31 
 Enkianthus, 66 
 Epidendron, 57 
 Epilobium, 66 
 Equisetum, 55 
 Eremurus, 66 
 Erica, 66 
 Erigeron, 66 
 Erinus, 66 
 Eriobothrya, 66 
 Erodium, 3 
 Eryngium, 31 
 Erythroniura, 66 
 Escallonia, 43 
 Eucalyptus, 66 
 Eucharis, 39 
 Eucryphia, 66 
 Euonymus, 39 
 Exochorda, 66 
 Eyebright, 38 
 
 Fabiana, 42 
 Fagus, 48 
 Fatsia, 32 
 Fern, 34, 54 
 Feverfew, 35 
 Ficus, 31 
 Fig, 31 
 Filbert, 52 
 Fir, 32 
 Flax, 49 
 
 Forget-me-not, 38 
 Forsythia, 43 
 Foxglove, 54 
 
 Fragaria, 66 
 Francoa, 43 
 Fraxinella, 66 
 Fraxinus, 31 
 Freesia, 43 
 Fritillaria, 66 
 Fuchsia, 11, 43 
 Fumaria, 67 
 Fumitory, 67 
 Furze, 32 
 
 Gaillardia, 43 
 Galanthus, 67 
 Galega, 48 
 Gardenia, 43 
 Garlic, 6 
 Garry a, 43 
 Gaultheria, 43 
 Gazanea, 40 
 Genista, 31 
 Gentiana, 43 
 Geranium, 3 
 Gerbera, 43 
 Germander, 67 
 Geum, 35 
 Gillyflower, 67 
 I Gladiolus, 67 
 Globularia, 67 
 Gloxinia, 43 
 Godetia, 43 
 Gooseberry, 54 
 Gorse, 32 
 Gourd, 31 
 Greengage, 43 
 Grevillea, 43 
 Groundsel, 67 
 Guelder Rose, 46 
 Gunnera, 43 
 Gynerium, 67 
 Gynocladon, 67 
 Gypsophila, 57 
 
 Halesia, 43 
 Hamamelis, 67 
 Harebell, 56 
 Hart's Tongue, 53 
 Hawthorn, 48 
 Hazel, 32 
 Heartsease, 38 
 Heath (Heather), 58 
 Hedysarum, 31 
 Helenium, 51 
 Helianthus, 67 
 Helichrysum, 40 
 Heliotrope, 68 
 
90 
 
 Hellebore, 31 
 Hemerocallis, 40 
 Hemlock, 32 
 Henbane, 35 
 Hepatica, 68 
 Heracleum, 51 
 Heuchera, 43 
 Hibiscus, 31 
 Hickory, 32 
 Hippopbse, 35 
 Holly, 32 
 Hollyhock, 47 
 Holmoak, 32 
 Honesty, 38 
 Hornbeam, 48 
 Horse-chestnut, 55 
 Horseradish, 55 
 Houndstongue, 54 
 Humulus, 68 
 Hyacinth, 51 
 Hydrangea, 68 
 Hypericum, 68 
 
 Iberis, 45 
 Incarvillea, 43 
 Inula, 51 
 Iris, 38 
 Ivy, 32 
 Ixia, 68 
 
 Jamesia, 43 
 
 Jerusalem Artichoke, 46, 68 
 
 Jessamine, 30 
 
 Judas Tree, 39 
 
 Juglans, 39 
 
 Juniper, 31 
 
 Kalmia, 43 
 Kerria, 43 
 Kingcup, 38 
 Knipophia, 43 
 Koelreuteria, 43 
 
 Labiatae, 68 
 Laburnum, 31 
 Lachenalia, 43 
 Lady's Bedstraw, 52 
 Lady's Mantle, 38 
 Lady's Slipper, 52 
 Lady's Smock, 38 
 Lapageria, 43 
 Larix (Larch), 31 
 Lathyrus, 35 
 Lamrus (Laurel), 31 
 Lavatera, 43 
 Lavendula (Lavender), 48 
 
 PLANT NAMES 
 
 Leptosiphon, 68 
 Leptospermum, 68 
 Lettuce, 68 
 Leycesteria, 43 
 Leucojum, 68 
 Ligustrum, 49 
 Lilac, 30, 68 
 Lily, 30 
 
 Lily-of-the- valley, 57 
 Lime (Linden), 69 
 Linaria, 69 
 Linum, 31 
 Lithospermum, 69 
 Liverwort, 34 
 Lobelia, n, 43 
 London Pride, 39 
 Lonicera, n, 43 
 Loosestrife, 6, 35 
 Loquat, 32 
 Lotus, 31 
 Lunaria, 69 
 Lupin, 31, 54 
 Lychnis, 69 
 Lycopodium, 54 
 Lysimachia, 6, 35 
 
 Magnolia, u, 43 
 Mahogany, 32 
 Mahonia, 43 
 Maiden Hair, 38 
 Mallow, 35 
 Malope, 69 
 Malva, 35 
 Mangel-wurzel, 32 
 Maple, 32 
 Marguerite, 40 
 Marigold, 38 
 Matthiola, n, 43 
 Meconopsis, 69 
 Medlar, 69 
 Melianthus, 69 
 Melon, 31 
 Mentha, 31 
 
 Mesembryanthemum, 69 
 Mespilus, 69 
 Metrosideros, 69 
 Mezereum, 30 
 Mignonette, 40 
 xMilfoil, 19 
 Mimosa, 54 
 Mimulus, 54 
 Mint, 31 
 Mistletoe, 33, 69 
 Mitraria, 69 
 Monarda, 43 
 
INDEX 
 
 91 
 
 Monkey-plant, 54 
 Monk's-hood, 38 
 Montbretia, 43 
 Morning Glory, 38 
 Muklenbeckia, 43 
 Mulberry, 31 
 Muscari, 69 
 Mushroom, 6 
 Musk, 30 
 Mustard, 48 
 Myosotis, 69 
 Myrica, 58 
 Myrrh, 30, 69 
 Myrtle, 30 
 
 Narcissus, 51 
 Nasturtium, 70 
 Nectarine, 39 
 Nemesia, 31 
 Nemophila, 58 
 Nepenthes, 35 
 Nepeta, 45 
 Nephrolepis, 70 
 Nerine, 52 
 Nicotiana, 43 
 Nigella, 70 
 Nightshade, 38 
 Notospartium, 70 
 Nutmeg, 30 
 
 Oak, 32 
 Oats, 32 
 
 Odontoglossum, 70 
 Oleander, 31 
 Olearia, 70 
 Olive, 31 
 Omphalodes, 70 
 Oncidium, 70 
 Onion, 70 
 Ononis, 40 
 Orange, 30 
 Ornus, 31 
 Orris, 38 
 Osmanthus, 70 
 Osmunda, 52 
 Oxalis, 70 
 Ozothamnus, 70 
 
 Palm, 70 
 Pampas, 45 
 Panax, 35 
 Pancratium, 35 
 Pansy, 38 
 Papaver, 31 
 Papjnnis, 30 
 
 Parnassia, 45 
 Parrottia, 43 
 Parsley, 70 
 Parsnip, 71 
 Passiflora, 38 
 Paulownia, 43 
 Pea, 31 
 Peach, 45 
 Pear, 31 
 Pelargonium, 3 
 Pennyroyal, 36 
 I Pentstemon, 71 
 Peony, 52 
 Pepper, 31 
 Periploca, 71 
 Periwinkle, 71 
 Pernettya, 43 
 Petunia, 32 
 Phacelia, 71 
 Phalaris, 71 
 Philadelphus, 38 
 Phillyrea, 71 
 Philodendron, 57 
 Phlomis, 49 
 Phlox, 71 
 Phormium, 49 
 Photinia, 71 
 Physalis, 71 
 Picea, 71 
 Pimpernel, 71 
 Pineapple, 71 
 Pinguicula, 71 
 Pink, 71 
 Pinus, 71 
 Piptanthus, 72 
 Pittosporum, 72 
 Plagianthus, 72 
 Plane, 72 
 Plantago, 72 
 Plantain, 72 
 Platanus, 72 
 Plum, 31 
 Plumbago, 35 
 Podocarpus, 72 
 Poinsettia, 43 
 Polyanthus, 72 
 Polygala, 72 
 Polygonum, 72 
 Polypodium, 72 
 Polystichum, 72 
 Pomegranate, 72 
 Poplar, 72 
 Poppy 31 
 Populus, 72 
 Potato, 32 
 
92 
 
 Potentilla, 35 
 Primrose, 28 
 Primula, 73 
 Privet, 49 
 Prunella, 35 
 Prunus, 31 
 Pteris, 73 
 Pterocarya, 73 
 Pulmonaria, 33 
 Pumpkin, 73 
 Pyrethrum, 73 
 Pyrus, 31 
 
 Quercus, 40 
 Quince, 45 
 
 Ragwort, 32 
 Raisin, 73 
 Ramondia, 43 
 Ranunculus, 57 
 Rape, 31 
 Raspberry, 73 
 Reseda, 36 
 Retinospora, 73 
 Rhamnus, 73 
 Rhaphiolepis, 73 
 Rhaphithamnus, 73 
 Rhododendron, 73 
 Rhubarb, 45 
 Ribes, 30 
 Ricinus, 54 
 Robinia, 43 
 Rodgersia, 43 
 Romneya, 43 
 Rose, 31 
 Rosemary, 29 
 Rowan, 6 
 Rubus, 73 
 Rudbeckia, 43 
 Rue, 31 
 Ruscus, 73 
 Rye, 32 
 
 SalEfron, 30 
 Sage, 35 
 Salisburia, 43 
 Salpiglossis, 73 
 Salix, 58 
 Salvia, 35 
 Sambucus, 49 
 Samphire, 52 
 Sanguinaria, 73 
 Santolina, 36 
 Saponaria, 74 
 
 PLANT NAMES 
 
 Sarracenia, 43 
 Sarsaparilla, 74 
 Saxifrage, 36 
 Scabiosa, 36 
 Schizanthus, 74 
 Schizophragma, 74 
 Schizostylis, 74 
 Sciadopitys, 74 
 Scilla, 36 
 Scrophularia, 36 
 Seakale, 58 
 Sedum, 57 
 
 Selago (Selaginella), 36 
 Sempervivum, 74 
 Senecio, 74 
 Sequoia, 32 
 Service, 31 
 Shallot, 45 
 Skimmia, 32 
 Silene, 74 
 Smilax, 74 
 Snapdragon, 53 
 Snowdrop, 38 
 Solanum, 36 
 Soldanella, 74 
 Solidago, 36 
 Solomon's Seal, 38 
 Sorrel, 74 
 Sparaxis, 74 
 Spartium, 74 
 Speedwell, 38 
 Spinach, 46 
 Spindle, 49 
 Spirea, 75 
 Spruce, 46 
 Spurge, 36 
 Staphylea, 75 
 Star of Bethlehem, 38 
 Statice, 36 
 Stephanotis, 75 
 Stephenandra, 75 
 Stitchwort, 30, 36 
 Stock, 75 
 Stonecrop, 57 
 Streptocarpus, 75 
 Sumach, 30 
 Sunflower, 38 
 Sweet William, 38 
 Sycamore, 75 
 Symphorocarpus, 75 
 Sjn-inga, 30 
 
 Tagetes, 52 
 Tamarisk, 75 
 Tansy, 37 
 
INDEX 
 
 93 
 
 Taxodium, 75 
 Tecoma, 32 
 Teucrium, 52 
 Thalictrum, 75 
 Thistle, 75 
 Thrift, 38 
 Thunbergia, 43 
 Thuya, 49 
 Thyme, 49 
 Tiarella, 75 
 Tiger Lily, 54 
 Tigridia, 54 
 Tilia, 31 
 Toadflax, 55 
 Tobacco, 46 
 Tomato, 32 
 Torenia, 43 
 Tradescantia, 43 
 Traveller's Joy, 38 
 Trefoil, 76 
 Tricuspidaria, ; 
 Trifolium, 76 
 Trillium, 76 
 Tritoma, 76 
 Trollius, 76 
 Tropaeolum, 39 
 Tsuga, 32 
 Tuberose, 29 
 Tulip, 76 
 Turnip, 76 
 Tussilago, 37 
 
 Ulex, 76 
 Ulmus, 31 
 
 75 
 
 Vaccinium, 31 
 
 Valletta, 43 
 
 Veratrum, 76 
 
 Verbascum, 76 
 
 Verbena, 40 
 
 Veronica, 52 
 
 Vervain, 50 
 
 Venus' Looking-glass, 38 
 
 Vetch, 76 
 
 Viburnum, 49 
 
 Vicea, 76 
 
 Vinca, 49 
 
 Vine, 49 
 
 Virgin's Bower, 38 
 
 Vitis, 49 
 
 Viola (Violet), 31 
 
 Walnut, 47 
 Weigelia, 43 
 Wellingtonia, 42 
 Whin, 32 
 Willow, 32 
 Willow Herb, 76 
 Windflower, 57 
 Wistaria, 43 
 Woodruff, 76 
 Wormwood, 37 
 Wych, 77 
 
 Xanthoceras, 77 
 
 Yucca, 32 
 
 Zinnia, 43 
 
 PRINTED IN GREAT BRITAIN BY 
 BILLING AND SONS, LTD., GUILDFORD AND ESHER