NAMES OF PLANTS. 139 



Swedish botanist and professor of medicine at Upsal, 

 who died in 1661. 



Frax'inus, Virgil. L. for the Ash tree. The derivation of 

 the name is uncertain ; some have supposed it to be 

 from G. phraxis, a separation, because the wood may- 

 be easily split ; others from G. phrasso, to enclose or 

 hedge round ; and some from L. frango, I break, 

 from its brittleness ; but the wood of the Ash is 

 remarkably tough. 



Fritilla'eia, Lobel. L., fritillus, a dice-box ; alluding to 

 the form of the flowers. 

 Melea'gris, Dodonjeus. G., a guinea-fowl; in allusion to 

 the markings of the flower. 



Fuma'ria, Gesner. L., fumus, smoke ; Pliny says because 

 it makes the eyes water when applied to them, as 

 smoke does. The old name was fumus terrce, smoke 

 of the earth. 



Ga'gea. Named in honour of Sir Thomas Gage, Bart., a 

 British botanist, who died at Kome in 1820. 



Galan'thus, Linneus. G., gal, milk, and anthus, flower; on 

 account of its milk-white flowers. 



Galeob'dolon, Dioscorides. G., gale, a weasel, and hclolon, 

 fetid smell. 



Galeop'sis, Dioscorides. G., gale, a weasel, and opsis, 

 appearance ; because the tip of the flower is like the 

 snout of the weasel. 

 LacVanum, Dalechamps. G., ledanon, a gummy substance, 

 which is still gathered from the Cistus creticus of 

 Linneus. The G. names for the plant were ledon 

 or laclon, ledanon or ladanon. It was applied by 

 Dodon^eus and the writers of his time to several 

 kinds of Cistus, and by Dalechamps (1587) to this 

 plant. By Linneus it was used as a specific name, 

 according to his rules. 



