﻿Trees of New York State 407 



GLOSSARY OF DERIVATIONS 



Abies — The L. common iiajue for the European fir. 



Acacia — fr. the Gr. iiKaKia the thorn tree of Egypt (fr. oK/f a thorn) through 



the L. Acacia. The common name of several species of the Legmninosae. 

 Acer — L. L. generic name for tlie maple. From the Celtic ae, hard^ referring 



to the quality of the wood. 

 aceroides — L. (maple-like) from Acer, maple, and o'ides (like-see amygdal- 



oides). The specific name of the old genus, Negundo. 

 acuminata — L.. (sharp-pointed) fr. acuminare, to make sliarp, referring to 



tJie sharp teeth on the leaves of Querents acuminata (Muhleniergii). 

 Aesculus — L. referring to tlie European "mast tree," (the L. common name) 



perhaps Quercus Aesculus. 

 Ailanthus — L. L. for ' ' ailanto, ' ' the Chinese common name for the tree, and 



referring to the height in the native habitat. 

 allegheniensis — L. L. referring to the geographical habitat of Betula liitea. 

 alba — L. (white) a word allied to the Gr. 'dlcpog through the Sabine alpmn, 



and referring to the white wood of Carya alba, and Quercus alha; to the 



white under surfaces of the leaves of SaJix alba, and Populus alba; the 



white fruit of Morns alba; and to the glaucous foliage of Picea alba 



(canadensis) . 

 alternifolia — L. (alternate-leaves) from alter, other, -nus (belonging to), and 



-folium fr. the Gr.fu/.'/ov, leaf; referring to the apparently alternate leaves 



of Cornus alternifolia. 

 amara — Ij. L. (u trench or ditch) fr. the Gr. nfiapa^ referring to the firm 



grooved bark or the slightly grooved petiole of Carya mifiima. 

 ambigua — L. (micert^ain), referring to a northern variant of Quercus rubra. 

 Amelanchier — L. L. fr. the common name of a species in Savoy, of uncertain 



origin. 

 americana — L. L. (America) referring to the geographical habitat of several 



species. 

 amygdaloides — L. (like an almond) fr. the Gr. n^vyaa?Mi the almond, and eWef 



appearing like; referring to the peach-like or almond-like leaves of Salix 



amygdaloides. 

 Amygdalus — L. (the almond) fr. the Gr. a(iv)6a7.oc, referring to a group of 



Asiatic trees among which are included A. persica {Frunus Persnca) 



the peach, and A. communis (Prunus Amygdalus), the almond. 

 Apple — f r. the A. S. aepl — origin unknown, * in the Teutonic languages. 



The common name for Pyrus Malus. 

 Aralia — a generic name of miknown origin. 

 Arbor-vitae — f r. the L. arbor, tree ; and vitae of life. The common name of 



Thuja Occident ali'S. 

 Ash — fr. the Teut. type askiz through the A. S. aesc. * in all Teut. lan- 

 guages. The common name of Frajoinus. 

 Aslmina — an early Fr. jiame for the papaw, corrupted from the Algonquin, 



rassimina, sleeve-fruit. 

 Aspen — (asp & en — an adj. ending as wood-en) fr. the A. S. aespe. * in 



Teut. languages. Tlie common name for Populus. 

 atropunicea — L. (dark brown) from ater, brown, and punicea. yellow, refer- 

 ring to the color of the autumn leaves of Fagus atropunicea (grandifolia). 

 Aucuparia — L. (relating to bird catching) from aucupium, bird-catcliing, 



referring perhaps to the tendency of the birds to feed upon the fruit of 



Pyrus Aucuparia. 

 aiirantiac — L. (resembling the orange) fr. the Skr. naranga, the orange; 



referring to the similarity of the leaves of Madura pomifera to those of 



the orange, and to tlie size of the fruit. 

 avium — L. (out of the way) fr. a- out of, and via, way; referring perhaps to 



the habitat of the European Prunus avium; perhaps a variant of the 



L. avis, bird, since birds frequently feed on the fruit of this species. 

 babylonica — L. (Babylon) through the Gr. ,5a3y?.ui'; referring to the origin 



of Salix babylonica. 



