THE AMERICAN BOTANIST 59 



nifying "to taste well," in allusion to the flavor of the root- 

 stocks of some species. The name was used by Pliny. 



The pear genus is Pyrus in the Latin but it is much the 

 same in several other tongues, as for instance, poire in French, 

 perc in Anglo-Saxon and percii in Celtic. Since the pear 

 originated in central or northern Europe, it is likely that the 

 Latin name was derived from the vernacular of the barbari- 

 ans. According to Britton, the, ancient Latin name for the 

 pear tree was Sorbiis and under this name is now often as- 

 sembled the plants we know as mountain ashes. The generic 

 name Sorbaria, is of course from the same source and indi- 

 cates a resemblance in the leaves of the two genera. Another 

 name derived originally from the Celtic is Ruhus from rub, 

 red, in allusion to the color of the fruit, though it is also said 

 to be derived irom tlie Latin ruber with the same significance. 

 The title Aronia by which one section of the pear genus is 

 often known, is said to be derived from Aria the name of the 

 beam-tree of Europe. 



Agrimonia is sometimes derived from the Greek agros 

 field and monos alone from its medical properties which were 

 of such repute as to render it alone in its field, but Gray says 

 the word is merely a corruption of Argemone. The name of 

 the Strawberry genus, Fragaria, comes from the Latin fra- 

 grant and is particularly well applied. Gray says the ancient 

 Latin name was fraga. Comarum is the Greek Komaros mean- 

 ing strawberry tree which the plant is said to resemble in fruit, 

 though to say where the resemblance is would puzzle any 

 botanist, 



Alchemilla is said to be from the Arabic alkemelyeh and 

 according to Britton was named for its fancied use in alchemy. 

 Sanguisorba is from sanguis, blood and sorbere to absorb, the 

 plant once being esteemed as a styptic and vulnerary. Po- 

 terittui is the Latin for a drinking vessel. Physocarpus is 



