104 THE AMERICAN BOTANIST 



"crown" and "fcKJt" and we expect to learn tliat it refers 

 either to the tlowers or the roots, but it is said to refer to the 

 deeply cut leaves! The scientific name of the onion {Allinw) 

 is supposed to have given the generic name Alliaria to certain 

 plants called garlic mustard in the vernacular. Rapliamts, 

 the name of radish, is from words meaning "quickly" and "to 

 appear" which pretty accurately describes the behavior of this 

 lively spring edible. 



It is not surprising to find that the cress family was one 

 of tlie first families to be recognized when the early scientists 

 were arranging plants in groups. The flowers are all so much 

 alike that even the novice perceives the relationship. Al- 

 though the arrangement of the four petals in the form of a 

 cross has given the name of Cruci ferae or cross-bearers to the 

 family, the word "cress," by which the species are commonly 

 known, is much older. From the earliest times the name 

 cress, or as it is often spelled in the language of northern 

 Europe, cresse, krasse, cerse and kers, was the name of the 

 plants belonging to the cabbage family. Incidentally it may 

 be said that the phrase "not worth a curse" (kers), used to 

 signify something of little value, was derived from the same 

 word and originally carried no stronger implication. 



Another ancient term applied to many species of Cruci- 

 ferae is "rocket." This was originally derived from an 

 edible species of the Old World, Bruca sativa, whose name 

 the Italians corrupted to riichctta, the French to roquette, and 

 the English to rocket. The word "mustard" so commonly 

 applied to members of this family comes from the name of 

 new wine or "must." The seeds of various species were 

 made into a condiment mixed with must, as we now use vine- 

 gar, and .so derived the name of mustard. 



