OF BRITISH PLANTS. 79 



FIR, O.H.G.furaka, Dan./yrr, Sw. furu, the fae-tree, 

 the most inflammable of woods. Etymologically the word 

 is identical with L. quercus, the initial qu having, as in 

 quingue, an / for its representative in the Germanic lan- 

 guages. See Max Miiller, Lectures, 2nd course, p. 224. 



Pinus and Abies. 



SCOTCH-, from its being found indigenous upon 

 the mountains of Scotland, P. sylvestris, L. 



SILVER-, from its white trunk, P. Picea, L. 

 SPRUCE-, from G. sprossen, sprout, see SPRUCE, 



Abies excelsa, Poir. 

 FIR-MOSS, a mossy looking plant like a little fir-tree, 



Lycopodium Selago, L. 



FIST-BALLS, A.S.jist, G. feist, Du.veest, crepitus, Norw. 

 fissopp aadflsball. See PUCKFIST. Lycoperdon, L. 



FITCH, an old spelling of Vetch, from L. Vicia. 

 FIVE-FINGER-GRASS, or FIVE-LEAF, Sw. finger-drt, Gr. 

 7revTaSaKTv\ov, five-fingered, ancient Gallic as quoted by 

 Dioscorides, (iv. c. 42), Tre/iTreSouXa ; by Apuleius, (c. 2,) 

 pompedulon ; a word meaning five-leaf, a plant so called 

 from its five leaflets, Potentilla reptans, Sib. 



FLAG, from its petals hanging out like banners, properly 

 the species of Iris, L. 



CORN-, Gladiolus, L. 



,, SWEET-, Acorus Calamus, L. 



YELLOW-, Iris Pseudacorus, L. 



FLAMY, in Mrs. Kent's Flora Domestica given as a name 

 of the pansy, and explained " because its colours are seen 

 in the flame of wood." It is the translation of Lat. Viola 

 flammea. V. tricolor, L. 



FLAW FLOWER, from flaw, a gust of wind, a translation 

 of Gr. avefiwvi), from ch>e/,to9, wind. See ANEMONY. 



Anemone Pulsatilla, L. 



FLAX, G. flacks, Du. vlas, Fr. filasse, M. Lat. fllassium, 

 yarn, from Jilare, spin, L. fllum, a thread, 



Linum usitatissimum, L. 



