ON PLANT NAMES 
ANY exotic plants have no authorized American 
names, and their Latin names being in most in- 
stances simple and euphonious, should be used 
in preference to any doubtful American name. 
Many plants are given different whimsical names 
in different States, and the practice of dispensing 
with a good Latin name such as Begonia, for the very ridicu- 
lous ‘‘angel’s wings,’’ as I heard it called in one instance, 
can only lead to the most deplorable confusion. ‘The floral 
world is so rich, its different species are of such peculiar rela- 
tion to each other, that it would be simply impossible to invent 
common names for all. Such beautiful Latin names as Camellia, 
Azalea, Reseda, Viola, Citrus, Mimosa and others, are superior 
to most common names in brevity and simplicity. Many ignor- 
ant florists, as I know from experience, invent names to suit 
customers and circumstances, but such liberties are as inex- 
cusable as they are dishonest. 
In the descriptions of plants I shall in all cases give the 
American names that exist and are universally recognized. In 
all other cases the Latin names alone are given. 
Many plants, especially varieties raised by florists, have 
however only names given to distinguish them from other 
varieties of the same species, such as all double flowers of 
