BOTANICAL NAMES 151 



plant, but was also the name of a genus of moths ; 

 to distinguish between them, the addition of 

 " neo " was made to the plant's name. 



Neotinea (neo-tin-ea). (See above.) Is first bot. name 

 of some botanists for Dense-spiked Habenaria, 

 Orchid family. 



Nepeta (ne-pe-ta). An Egyptian word for a drug that 

 " removed sorrow." It also meant a scorpion, and 

 was said to cure its sting. Bot. name for a group. 



Nephrodium (nef-rod-i-um). G. " Nephros " (a kid- 

 ney) ; from the shape of the spore-cases of the fern. 

 Group name of some botanists for many of the 

 Shieldfern group. 



Nettle. A.S. " Netele." Eng. name for Urtica 

 group, but is not confined to this group, for plants 

 of Lamium group are called " Dead Nettle." The 

 Nettle is one of the five bitter herbs to be partaken 

 by the Jews at the Feast of the Passover. 



Nidus-Avis (ni-dus a-veez). L. "Nidus" (a nest); 

 " avis " (bird's). Second bot. name Bird's Nest 

 Orchis, because the roots cross each and are 

 entangled like the sticks in a crow's nest. 



Niger (ni-jer). 



Nigra (ni-gra). 



Nigrum (ni-grum). L. adj., "black." Second bot. 

 name for many different plants. 



Nightshade. A.S. " Nihtscada." Eng. name given 

 to three different plants (i) Enchanter's Night- 

 shade; (2) Deadly Nightshade; (3) Plain Night- 

 shade. All are poisonous more or less, but the 

 " deadly " one more. 



Nigrescens (ni-gres-sens). 



