204 THE PLANT WOELD 



species cited as varietal forms by Linnaeus in 1753. He also confused 

 another orchid now known as Calypso hulhosa with his shoe-shaped 

 genius, and it appeared in the Species Plantarum as Gypripedium hul- 

 hosum Linnaeus, known as the bulbous lady's slipper, with three sepals 

 free to the base, the other species of Gypripedium having the two lower 

 sepals imperfectly united, and appearing frequently like a single sepal. 

 The varietal forms of Gypripedium Galceolus includes, therefore, all 

 species of the genus known at that time save his bulbous Gypripedium 

 (Galypso), which then appeared to differ only in number of sepals and 

 root from the other species of Gypripedium. It is plainly evident that 

 the European yellow lady's slipper has been considered identical with 

 both our American yellow Cypripediums, as well as with the pink and 

 the white petaled species (Gypripedium acaule and G. reginae). 



Since the present botanical nomenclature dates its starting point 

 for all intelligible generic and specific names, from the first edition of 

 Linnaeus' Species Plantarum, 1753, we find that four of our American 

 Cypripediums known to Europeans 1600-1800, have since 1753 received 

 a confusion of synonj^ms too numerous to mention in this paper. 



The origin of names signifies more in reality than the general flower 

 lover understands, and many a quaint story lies buried beneath the 

 Greek and Latin derivations. Botanical names arise from the structure 

 of the ijarts of a flower, leaves, roots and their general resemblance to 

 birds, insects and animals, based upon the natural affinity of si)ecies and 

 often upon their medicinal properties. Scientists often name species in 

 honor of friends or collectors. The pitcher-plant (Sarracenia) was 

 thus named by Tournefort, in honor of Dr. Sarrazin of Quebec, who first 

 sent our Northern species of pitcher-plant to him for identification. 



Common names of plants originate locally from ignorance and mis- 

 applied meaning often given by children and country folk, who must 

 call the flower by some name in order to distinguish it from other varie- 

 ties. Dumb-watches, St. Jacob's dippers, huntsman's cup and side- 

 saddle flowers are names of childish fancy given the dipper-like 

 leaves and flowers of the pitcher-plant {Sarracenia.) The hard shell of 

 the stigma of these flowers remind children of dumb-watches, while the 

 padded pillion, or ancient cushion of a lady's side-saddle, resembles the 

 stigma, and also suggested the name side-saddle flower. The name 

 ram's head moccasin flower {Gypripedium arietinum) likewise arose from 

 this flower's resemblance to a sheep's or ram's head ; the conical part 

 of the pouched-shaped labellum serving to recall the nose of a sheep, 

 while the twisting sepals and petals in certain positions remind one of 

 the horns ; thus originating the specific designation arietinum, signify- 

 ing "shaped like a ram's head." 



[to be continued.] 



