14- THE PLANT WORLD. 



the head, and backing in. Even then the work of cutting- through 

 the bark is disagreeable, though the bark or rind is itself thin and 

 tender. 



" A landscape of these pole-like forms, with their thorny branches 

 and few small, brittle, thick, yellow-green leaves, is weird in the ex- 

 treme, and particularly so about dusk. Dry, hot, leafless, noiseless, 

 and apparently lifeless, it conveys vividly to the imagination the idea 

 of a burnt-out world." 



The various species of Foiiqiiieria are ordinarily known as Candle- 

 trees, but as the F. cohimnaris is known by the inhabitants under the 

 name of " Cereo," which signifies a fancied resemblance to the torch 

 of the altar of their church, it seems appropriate to give it the English 

 name of Torch Tree. 



The use of the plate is by the kindness of the U, S. National 

 Museum authorities. 



SOME LOCAL COMMON NAMES. 



By C. F. Saunders. 



DURING a recent visit to the mountains of Southern Pennsyl- 

 vania, the following local names of plants were noted as 

 in use: 



Mountain Tea, for Myrica asplenifolia L. 

 Leopard's Tongue, for Hieracium venosuin L. (The radical leaves 

 with their reddish undersurfaces and oblong outline might remind 

 one of the tongue of that animal.) 



Rabbit berry, for MitcJiclla repens L. 



Bastard Pine, ) . „. ... 



Nigger Pine, \ ^^^ ^"^"-^ Virgtniana Mill. 



Spruce, for Tsuga Canadensis Carr. 



Mayberry (as well as Juneberry), iov Anielanchier Canadensis (L.) 

 Medic. 



Sleeping Mollie, for Oxalis Acetosella L. (a quaint name evidently 

 suggested by the plant's habit of folding its leaflets at night.) 



White-top, for Holcus lanutns L. 



Prince's Pine, for Lycopodiuni obscuruin L. 



Shine-leaf, for Pyrola elliptica Nutt., and probably for P. rotundi- 

 folia L., also. (This name was heard from only one speaker. It may 

 have been a mispronunciation, but it certainly seems to be a much 

 more intelligible appellation for this shiny plant than the sJiinleaf of 

 the books. 



Church -bell, for Aqnilegia Canadensis L. 



Lin, for Tilia Americana L. (Is this a contraction of Linden ?) 



Echinni vulgar e L., a prevalent roadside weed, seemed to go only 

 by the name of Blue Thistle; and the common name of Aralia 

 racenwsa L., was pronounced as though spelled spieknerd. . 



Philadelphia. 



