HAND-BOOK OF THE BRITISH FLORA. 107 



statement of the principles which have induced the rejection 

 of certain names, and the substitution of others, and the 

 details of their application to individual cases, . . . are given 

 at length in a paper prepared by the author, to be laid before 

 the Linngean Society on the publication of this Flora." 



Criticism may well be deferred until this paper comes to 

 hand. Of the propriety of an English nomenclature of some 

 kind in a Flora where a great part of the .plants have well- 

 known vernacular names, there is no room for doubt ; and if 

 used at all, it is desirable that these names should be reduced 

 to a systematic form. This is readily done for perhaps half 

 of the common plants of the British Flora ; but for the rest, 

 the difficulties are various and much greater than one would 

 imagine before making the attempt. The present undertak- 

 ing must be deemed a decided success. What imperfections 

 it has, are on the safer side. We should have inclined to 

 a larger use of the vernacular for the generic names ; and 

 where they were inapplicable to the whole genera, to apply 

 them to subgenera, e. </., Apple and Pear, Gooseberry and 

 Currant. As these are real and universal English generic 

 names, they ought, if possible, to be given as such. Still we 

 appreciate the reasons which appear to have compelled the 

 adoption of Pyrus and Ribes as English names, though Eng- 

 lish they never can become. Our author is strongly disposed 

 throughout to make the Latin name do duty as an English 

 one, doubtless suj^posing that they may become popular appel- 

 lations in time, as Geranium and Aster have done. Some- 

 times he adopts the Latin word entire ; sometimes he trun- 

 cates or anglicizes the termination. Happy instances of the 

 latter sort are : — 



Trigonel, from Trigonella. 



Limosel, from Limosella. 



Corydal, from Corydalis. 



Corrlgiole, from Corrigiola. 



Chrysosplene, from Chrysosplenlum ; but why not Golden- 

 spleen ? 



Samole, from Samolus ; but why not Brookweed ? 



Limnanth, from Limnanthemum. 



