NAMES OF PLANTS. 



188 



SphonchjVhm, Dioscorides. G., diminutive of sphonchjle, 

 a stinking insect ; old name for the plant. 

 HERmN'iUM, E. Brown. Derivedfrom /lermm, the knob or foot 

 of a bed-post ; in allusion to the shape of the tubers. 

 Mono/chis. G., mon, single; in allusion to the single 

 tuber. *' Eoot of several thick vfoollj fibres, and one 

 globular hairy knob, the size of a large pea, which is 

 the source of the plant of the present year. One of 

 these apparent fibres, rarely more, bears at its extre- 

 mity a small young knob, destined to enlarge after- 

 wards, and to flower in the following summer."— 

 Smith Eng. Fl. 

 Hernia'ria, Gesner. L,, a reputed remedy for hernia, or 



rupture. 

 Hes'peris, Pliny. G., hesper, the evening; when the flower 



is particularly fragrant. 

 Hiera'cium, Dioscorides. G., so called from hierac, a hawk; 

 because birds of prey were supposed to strengthen 

 their vision with the juice of these plants. 

 PiloseVla, Matthiolus. Diminutive of L., pilosus, hairy, 

 i. e., a little hairy. 

 Hierochlo'e. G., hiero, sacred, and chloe, grass. Holy 

 Grass; because it was formerly used to strew in 

 churches. 

 Hippocre'pis, Linneus. G., hippo, horse, and crepis, shoe ; 



from the form of the fruit. 

 Hippopha'e, Dioscorides. G., apparently from hippo, horse, 

 and phao, I shine ; but the exact meaning and appli- 

 cation are not clear. The ancient name Hippophaes 

 was not confined to the Sea Buckthorn, and doubts 

 have been expressed whether it was applied to that 

 plant at all. Pliny says: "These plants would 

 appear too, to be remarkably well adapted to the 

 constitution of the horse, as it can be for no other 



