CITING ANCIENT AUTHORS. 



199 



belongs to Pliny. Tlie Greek name of these trees is a very 

 different oiie.^ Bat Astrngalus is merely classic Greek, its 

 application as a plant-name was adopted by Dioscoridcs^ if 

 not originally made by him. The Asiragahis of Linnaeus 

 certainly includes the Astragali (and also the Tragacanthi) 

 of the Greek botanists of old ; and, as applied to this par- 

 ticular type of leguminous plants, has come down to us in 



unbroken succession — has been employed by all authors, 



ancient, mediaeval and modern — through all the ages of plant 

 history. 



In substantiation of my statement that, in the usage in 

 question, I am not an innovator, I refer to the writings of the 

 following post-Linnsean botanists : Scopoli, Sprengel, S. F. 



Gray. 



And none of these appear to have made unwarranted 



applications. They cite Uioscorides and Pliny, as T do, only 

 where the types are ascertainable by the ancient descriptions. 

 I consider that simple truthfulness requires this to be done ; 

 but one thing I concede freely ; to make Linn^ieus the author 

 not only of the few genera which he offered as new, but of 

 those founded by all the generations of botanical authors 

 who preceded him, is an easy course to pursue; though 

 every principle of literary justice and truthfulness and of 

 historic accuracy is sacrificed along that easy course. 



*• Nevertheless, Sibfchorp tells us that Soitrmpia and even Sourhia are 

 niodern Greek names for the trees or their fruits. 



Issued September 28, 1891. 



