INTRODUCTION. 



this general function the Latin word plant 

 has succeeded. It is curious to note in the 

 fifteenth century a tautological compound 

 of these two words : 'Hoc olusculum a wurt- 

 plant/ The elder word seems now lost to 

 us, and one would hardly venture instead 

 of ' Plant Names ' to write ' Wort Names.' 

 How great its prevalence once was, may be 

 seen from its numerous combinations : 

 adrel-, ceftelfyrding, bcm, beo, biscop, blod, 

 bran, brofter, brune, calf, candel, cluf (clyf), 

 cyningeSy feld, fie, glof, greate, hafoc, hols, 

 heel, homor, hrcetel, Jiyl, Icece, lid, lift, lung, 

 mede, mug, ncedder, slep, simering, smering, 

 smert, spere, sprung, stic, sufie, tunsing, wai, 

 wal, water, weal-. Modern botanists have 

 revived this termination for the comprehen- 

 sive designations of the Orders : Salicacece 

 "Willow-worts, Urticacece Nettle-worts. 



Next, we take the former part of the 

 compound expression, which is in its nature 

 secondary and relative. 



apul, appel, apple, 

 attor, poison, 

 ban, bone, 

 beo, bee. 

 biscop, bishop, 

 blod, blood. 



