60 THE AMERICAN BOTANIST 



Stability that the technical name cannot approach though 

 scientists have tinkered with it on many occasions. 



Leiopliyllum biixifolium is still another myrtle, this time 

 "sand myrtle". Another name, "sleek leaf", is merely a 

 translation of the generic name and is probably not in \er- 

 nacular use. Included in this group of low or creeping 

 plants may be the "mountain heath" whose technical name 

 is Phyllodoce coerulea. Another "mountain heath" is Men- 

 ziesia glabella. A second species, M. pilosa, is the "minnie- 

 bush" which name is regarded as the equivalent of Menzies' 

 bush. From the fact that the specific name of our only 

 species of Cassiope is liypnoides, we derive the vernacular 

 names or more i)robably the book names of "moss-bush" and 

 "moss-plant," though the short stems and tiny leaves make 

 the plant rather mosslike. 



According to the generic name. Chauiacdaphiic, the plant 

 bearing it should be a low one. l)ut our only species, the 

 familiar "leatherleaf" {C. calyculuta) grows to a height of 

 four feet or more. The vernacular name refers to the small 

 leaves which at the approach of cold weather don the colors 

 of russet leather and remain on the plant until spring like a 

 new sort of evergreen. The plant is very often known as 

 "cassandra" since this was the generic name until verv recently. 

 Another remarkable plant iniiabiting localities similar to those 

 preferred by the leather-lenf is the "T^abrador tea" {Ledum 

 Grocitlandiaiii! ) . Its evergreen, revolute leaves, covered 

 with wool on the inider sides, is often used for tea. hence the 

 name. Still another heathwort that loves cold bogs is the 

 "marsh rosemary" {Andromeda puUfalia). This is also 

 known as "bog rosem;irA-". "wild rosemary", "moorwort", and 

 "marsh holywort". The last mentioned name, as well as 

 "rosemary", was undoul)tedly given to the plant from some 

 fancied connection with the Virgin, but rosemary in this case 



