394 SYSTEMATIC BOTANY. 



genitive case, as Viola MuJdenhcrgii, V. Nuttalii, &c. ; but when 

 such names are merely given in honour of botanists who have 

 had nothing to do with their discovery or description, the specific 

 names are usually put in the adjective form, as Carex HooJceriana, 

 Vero7iica Lindleyana : such a rule is, however, frequently de- 

 parted from. Sometimes the specific name is a noun, in which 

 case it does not necessarily agree with the genus in gender ; 

 such specific names are often old generic ones, as Bictamnus 

 Fraxmdla, Rhus Cotinus, Lytlirum Salicaria, Ehus Coriaria, 

 Dlantlms Armeria, Asclepias Vinceioxictc7Ji. In such cases the 

 specific name should begin with a capital letter ; a similar rule 

 should also be adopted when it is derived from a person ; 

 but in all other instances it is better that the specific name 

 should begin with a small letter. The specific name was called 

 by Linnseus the trivial name ; thus, in the particular kind of 

 Violet called Viola palustris, Viola is the generic, and pahcstris 

 the specific or trivial name. 



Abbreviations and Symbols. — It is usual in botanical 

 works to use certain a,bbreviations and symbols. A few of the 

 more important can alone be mentioned here. Thus the names 

 of authors, when of more than one syllable, are commonly ab- 

 breviated by writing the first letter or syllable, &c., as follows : — 



L. or Linn, means Linnaeus ; Juss. is the abbreviation for 

 Jussieu ; D. C. or De Ca^id. for De Candolle ; Br. for Brown ; 

 Lindl. for Lindley ; Bich. for Richard ; Willd. for Willdenow ; 

 Hook, for Hooker ; With, for Withering ; Endl. for Endlicher ; 

 Bah. for Babington ; Berk, for Berkley, &c., &c. 



It is common to put such abridged names after that of the 

 genus or species which has been described by them respectively. 

 Thus Eriocaidon, L. indicates that the genus Eriocaulon was 

 first described by Linnseus ; Miltonia, Lindl. is the genus Mil- 

 tonia as defined by Lindley; Fuphar pumila, B. C. is the 

 species of Nicphar defined by De Candolle, &c., &c. 



Other abbreviations in common use are. Bad. for root ; Caid. 

 for stem ; Fl. for flower ; Cal. for calyx ; Cor. for corolla ; 

 Per. for perianth ; Fr. for fruit ; Ord. for order ; Gen. for 

 genus ; Sp. or Spec, for species ; Var. for variety ; Herb, for 

 herbarium, &c. Again, — 



V. V. c. ( Vidi vivam cultam) indicates that the author has seen 

 a living cultivated plant as described by him. 



V. V. s. ( Vidi vivam spontaneam) indicates that the author has 

 seen a living wild plant. 



V. s. c. ( Vidi siccarn cidtam) indicates that a dried specimen of 

 the cultivated plant has been examined. 



V, s. s. {Vidi siccam spordaneam) indicates that a dried speci- 

 men of the wild plant has been examined. 



