; • : ' THE AMERICAN BOTANIST 133 



Baptisia is from the Greek hapto meaning to dye and was 

 given to this genus of plants because some species yield a poor 

 grade of indigo. From the same word comes baptize which 

 instead of dyeing ought to leave the candidate whiter than 

 before! The woad is a British species of Baptisia with 

 which the ancient ^ritons dyed their bodies green. TJier- 

 uiupsis is said to be formed of thermos, a lupine, and opsis 

 like. Medicago is the name of the alfalfa genus and is said 

 to be so named because the plant came to Greece from Medea. 

 Psoralea is from a word meaning scurfy in allusion to the 

 glands or dots on the leaves while Teplirosia is fr(jm tcphros, 

 ash colored or hoary. The genus is sometimes called Cracca, 

 the latin name for vetches. Glyccrrliiza is from glycos sweet 

 and rliiza root, a most appropriate name for the licorice. 

 Phascohis is said to be the ancient name of the kidney bean 

 and Wood says it means a little boat in allusion to the shape 

 of the pods. Desmoditwi is from desinos a bond or chain 

 and is said to have been given in reference to the jointed pods 

 though the way these pods cling to one's clothing also suggests 

 a bond. Amphicarpaea means "both fruits or all fruits" 

 because the plants have two kinds of flowers and fruits, one 

 above and one beneath the soil. Dolichos means long. It 

 was formerly the name of some unknown legume and is now 

 applied to the genus which bears it in reference to the pods. 

 Galactea is from a word meaning milk. Some species were 

 reputed to have a milky juice, but this is doubtful, as Gray 

 suggests. 



The genus Apios, is from a word for pear (Gray spells 

 it pair), probably on account of the shape of the tubers. The 

 word Glycine, by which the genus is sometimes known, is from 

 the Greek for sweet and apparently not very appropriate. 

 Gymnocladtis is from gymnos, naked and klados, branch, in 



