HARD WORDS. 57 
_of such commemoration. The specific name often refers to 
some peculiarity in structure of the plant to which it is applied, 
to its place of growth, or to its likeness to other species, or like 
the genus is named after its discoverer, or some eminent 
botanist. Let us now look among our wild flowers for some 
illustrations of the appropriateness of their Latin names. 
First, we may observe that a great many genera are named 
from a resemblance in their blossoms to some other object. The 
large, chalice-shaped flowers of the Marsh Marigold suggested 
the name Caltha, from a Greek word signifying a cup; and the 
name Stellaria applied to the Stitechworts, was clearly given them 
on account of their white sfer-like blossoms. The Foxglove 
earned its more learned title, Digitalis, from the resemblance in 
shape of its handsome flowers to the finger of a glove; while the 
bells of the Hairbell and its allies obtained for the genus its 
- name, Campanula; the Globe-flower is called Zrollius, from the 
German frolen, a ball, in reference to the round outline of its 
blossoms. Sometimes other parts of the plant are selected ; the 
arrow-shaped leaves of the Arrow-head gained for it its English 
name, 28 well as the Latin Sagittaria; the Shepherd’s Purse (a 
translation of its s pocificname, Bursa-pastoris, )owes both these and 
its generic title, Capsella, to its curious seed pouches, The Horse- 
shoe Vetch is Hippocrepis, from the resemblance which the pods 
present to a horse-shoe; the Birdsfoot, Ornithopus, from a similar 
likeness; the Coralwort is Dentaria, from its toothed root. Other 
genera were named from diseases for which the species comprised 
_ under them were supposed to be remedial; Scrophularia is one 
of these. Ofthe very many which commemorate distinguished 
botanists we need only mention Linnea, Villarsia, Wahlenbergia, 
Lobelia, Knappia, Isnardia, Hutehimsia, Teesdalia; other names, 
of more ancient, or classical, allusion are, Daphne, Iris, Narcissus, 
Euphorbia, Gentiana, Ceutaurea, &e. 
To turn now to specific names, we shall find many which are 
common to several plants in different genera, and indicate their 
place of growth. Thus, palustre denotes a marsh-loving species — 
e.g., Marsh Willowherb, Zpilobium palustre, Marsh Bedstraw, 
b: 
