150TANICAL NAMES. 75 



combinations furnish an almost inexhaustible supply of names. 



A method of naming plants resembling another plant is in 

 making frequent use of the Greek cidos and opsis, like ; the 

 former taking the lyatinized form of oides, giving us such 

 names as A(^rosioidcs \ Agrostis-like ; Cinnoides, Cinna-like ; 

 Scirpoides, Scirpus-like ; Graniinoidcs, grass-like, and Chrys- 

 ops/s, golden-like, and Ampelopsis, vine-like. 



In addition to the generic and specific names, it is neces- 

 sary to add the name, or the initial of the name, of the botan- 

 ist who first described the plant and gave it the name. Thus 

 Sinapis alba, L. Changes in names of plants, several years 

 ago, made it necessary to adopt a rule that the oldest name 

 given to a plant should stand. If the name of the genus has 

 been altered, this fact is indicated by adding to the name of 

 the plant, in parenthesis, the name of the botanist who first 

 gave the name to the species, following it with the name of 

 the botanist responsible for the combination^ giving it such a 

 form as Brassica nio^ra ( L. K Koch. 



The rule, a good one, making it necessary to use the oldest 

 name, is responsible for some queer combinations ; for instance, 

 making the generic and specific names the same. Of this we 

 have many instances, such as Hvstn'x Hvstn'x, Hepatica 

 Hcpatica, Sassafras Sassafras. 



The effect of carrying out this rule has, in late years, 

 caused temporary confusion by the large number of changes 

 of names, all of which, however, tend to permanence. It is, 

 however, a little confusing to learn for yourself and to teach 

 to others that our common Virginia creeper, which was Aiiipe- 

 lopsis qidnqucfolia, is now Part/ioiocissus quiiiqucfolia ; or to 

 find that our showy orchis, which was Orchis spcrtabilis , is now, 

 by the necessity of separating it from the genus Orchis, Gale- 

 orchis ; that Hepatica triloba is now Hepatica Hepatica, etc. 



These changes, though necessar}^, make one wish that 

 there were niDre of such common names as sweet fern, lily of 

 the valley, blue-eyed grass, trailing arbutus, balm, blue curls, 

 bitter sweet, bouncing bet, blazing star, columbine, cowslip, 



