3 2 BOTANICAL NAMES 



Prosperine, and considered the peculiar plant of 



the dead. 

 Aspidium (as-pi-di-um). G. " Aspidion " (a small 



shield) ; refers to the shape of the scale which shuts 



in the case which holds the spores. Bot. name for 



Shieldfern group. 

 Asplenium (as-ple-ni-um). G. "A" (no); " splen " 



(spleen). The Black Maidenhair Fern was a sup- 

 posed remedy for disease of the spleen. Bot. name 



Spleen wort group of Ferns. 

 Assimilation (as-sim-il-a-shun). In plants corresponds 



to digestion in animals ; leaves are chief organs for 



this. 

 Aster (as-ter). G. " Aster " (a star); from the look 



of the flower. Bot. name of a group. 

 Asterophyllites (as-ter-o-fil-its). G. " Aster " (a 



star); " phulon " (a leaf); fossil plants found in 



the Coal Measures having star-like whorls of 



leaves. 



Astragal (as-tra-gal). Eng. rendering of Astragalus. 

 Astragalus (as-tra-gal-us). G. name for one of the 



bones in the heel ; the root of the plant is thought 



to be like this bone in its shape, hence used as the 



bot. name of a group. 

 Astrantia (as-tran-shi-a). G. " Astron " (a star); 



from the star-like look of the flowers. Bot. name 



for a group. 

 Athamanticum (ath-a-man-ti-cum). G. After Mount 



Athamas, where the best quality of Meum was to 



be found. 

 Athanasia (ath-a-na-ci-a). G. "A" (not); "thanatos" 



(death) ; immortal. 

 Athyrium (a-thi-ri-um). G. "A" (no); " thureos " 



