THE AMERICAN BOTANIST 11 



gear mentioned. The "false lui)ine" is 'Vhcruiopsis r/Kunhi- 

 folia which is also called "yellow pea", and "hush i)ea". Its 

 cf)ngener, T. mollis, also bears the latter name. Here we 

 may .also list the "hush clover" {Lespedcza capitata) which, 

 owini; to its tlowny leaves, is also called "dusty clover". 



A tine, tlujugh somewhat rare, tree native to the Ohio 

 valley is the "virgillia" {Cladrastis lutea). The i)lant w^as 

 originally called Vcryillia lutea which accounts for the com- 

 mon name. The species has long pinnate leaves, white lo- 

 cust-like flowers and yellow wood and naturallv becomes 

 "Kentucky yellow wood", "American yellow wood", and "yel- 

 low locust". "Fustic tree" is another reference to its proper- 

 ties as a dye-wood, the fustic of the tropics being used for 

 the same purpose. "Gopher wood" is unintelligible to the 

 writer. It was the name of a unidentified wood used in the 

 Ark by Noah but it is not likely that the supply was import- 

 ed from Kentucky! 



In spring when the young leaxes are just unfolding, 

 Ccrcis Canadensis covers its young twigs witli an abundance 

 I if ])ink flowers and, notwithstanding the fact that it is in 

 tull bloom before it is noticeable, is very generally known as 

 "red-bud". The European species seems to have escaped this 

 name but to have fallen upon a worse one being called "Judas 

 tree". By virtue of belonging to the genus, our plant inherits 

 the name though it is without significance thus applied. The 

 tradition is that the flowers of both species were originally 

 white until Judas selected the European Cercis siliqnastruni 

 on which to hang himself. Since then the flowers have been 

 blushing for their involuntary connection with the affair. 

 "June bud" applied to our species is apparently a hybrid be- 

 tween "Judas tree" and "red-bud". "Salad tree", a name 

 given in the books, is inexplicable. 



