124 THE AMERICAN BOTANIST 



from our readers. Scarcely a single number has been issued 

 that did not bring us additional information. Incitlentally, 

 it may be said that the articles have attracted considerable at- 

 tention in many parts of the world and inquiries for them 

 have been received from such remote regions and the Cape 

 of Good Hope, India. China, and Russia. 



Several additional names in the Ranunculaceae have 

 ct>me to light since the notes on that family were published. 

 W'e note that the hepatica is occasionally called "blue an- 

 emone", a name that is fairly descriptive. Myosiints iiiiiu- 

 nia has the singular name of "blood strange". This seems 

 to l)e derived from the Latin strinycndo, to staunch, and thus 

 gives some meaning to the name though it is scarcely appro- 

 priate. We also missed another change rung on the colum- 

 bine, in "culverwort". Culver is an ancient name for dove, 

 just as colmnha, in the Latin, means dove, and coliiiiihiiia. 

 dovelike. In \'aughan's .seed catalogue Aqiiilcgia Canadensis 

 is listed a> "Turk's-cap". This may be in allusion to the 

 .spurs of the Rower though it scarcely deserves to be called a 

 common name. "Akely" is a vernacular name originated m 

 an attempt of the unlettered to pronounce Aqiiilcgia. Clema- 

 tis liynsticifolia is reported as "iiill clematis" in "American 

 Honev Plants" but the plant is not especially partial to hills. 

 The name of "poor man's rhubarb" ascribed to species of 

 Thlalictntni appears to be based on the fact that the root of one 

 species mav serve on occasion in i)lace of the officinal rhu- 

 barb. Aconituni napcUus is a European species of "monk's- 

 hood", coirmonly planted in gardens. It may be of interest to 

 note here that the curiously shaped flowers have received other 

 names such as "friar's cap" which is much the same as "monk's 

 hood", "soldier's cap". "Turk's-cap", and "helmet flower". 



