70 THE AMERICAN BOTANIST 



Sahconiia. The denatured alcohol may be used for this pur- 

 pose at least three times. 



Potassium hydroxide. (5% solution.) Although used 

 principally as a macerating agent, this compound yielded ex- 

 cellent results with Sueda and Salicoruia, the specimens re- 

 maining mostly a normal green color. A much shorter period 

 is required for washing. With the other plants it was unsat- 

 isfactory, probably on account of slow penstration. All 

 specimens treated with it show a tendency to mould unless 

 quickly dried. With such a precaution, the satisfactorily 

 treated specimens were ready for mounting two days ahead of 

 the control. 

 Washington and Jefiferson College, Washington, Pa. 



PLANT NAMES AND THEIR MEANINGS— XI 



LEGUMINOSAE-III 



By WiIvLard N. Clute 



/^ LOSE to the sweet clovers, comes another familiar genus 

 ^^ Mcdicago to which belongs the "alfalfa" (M. sativa) and 

 others. In the Old World, alfalfa is commonly known as "lu- 

 cerne" from the belief that it was originally from Switzer- 

 land. Britton and Holland in their "Dictionary of Plant 

 Names" however, say that the plant is not especially common 

 about Lucerne and that Europe did not get its supplv from 

 Switzerland. Place names, it is well known, are no indica- 

 tion of nativity. Our "Canada thistle" is not a native of Can- 

 ada. "Burgundy trefoil", "Brazilian clover" and "Spanish 

 trefoil" are other names for the alfalfa that are no more ap- 

 propriate than others mentioned. Our species, like several of 



