772 POPULAR NOMENCLATURE, 



think, because they do not resemble the European Apple either 

 in foliage or fruit ! Nor are the terms " Gum-trees " and " Apple- 

 trees " less appropriate than such as " Honey-suckle," " Native 

 Tulip," "Native Eose," " Native Hops," "Native Tobacco," 

 " Native Cherry," " Native Peach," " Native Orange " &c. which 

 are applied to Banhsia, Tehpea, Boronia, Dodoncea, Humea, 

 Exoca/rpm, Omnia, Capparis &c. Seeing, then, that such names 

 are calculated to mislead, what is to be done in the way of 

 nomenclature ? Are we to assist in perpetuating an erroneous 

 method of distinguishing species? Or should we strive by the 

 abbreviation of scientific names, or the use of native names 

 whenever practicable, to render the study of native plants easy 

 to the uninitiated ? As a general rule, I believe, it would be 

 advantageous to discourage, as far as possible, the use of popular 

 terms. Many of them are without meaning, and many are 

 calculated to convey a wrong impression. Thus for instance the 

 terms "Honey-suckle" and "Tulip " are applied to species of the 

 Proteacese ; " Gum-trees " and "Apple-trees" to those of the 

 Myrtaceae ; " Eose," " Hops," and " Tobacco " to the Eutacese, 

 Sapinclaceae, and Compositse ; and "Cherry," "Peach," and 

 "Orange" to the Santalacea), Meliaceae, and Capparidea;. It is 

 evident, therefore, that such names are mischievous, so far as the 

 pursuit of Botany is concerned, for they teach persons to associate 

 species with families with which they have no relation. Baron F. 

 von Mueller, who has paid more attention to the study of our 

 Eucalypts than any one in these Colonies, is of opinion that all 

 the popular names should be set aside, for it has been found 

 that the Bed Gum of one district is an Angophora, and of another 

 an Eucalypt, whilst the names Blue, White, Grey, and Spotted 

 Gums are applied indifferently to several species. Mr. Bentham 

 in describing from dried specimens forwarded to him from 

 Australia, was often perplexed by local names, and although he 

 laid down a system of classification which is being successfully 

 followed by Baron Mueller, ho seemed almost to despair of 



