LKSSON 29.] BOTANICAL NAMKS. 179 



Bcocl), Con/his, the Iln/.el, and llm like. 15iit as moro goiu-ra be- 

 came known, botanists bad new names to make or borrow. Many 

 are named from some appearance or property of the flowers, leaves, 

 or other ])arts of the phint. To take a few examples from tne early 

 ])a!j:i's of the Miinnal of the JioUini/ of the Northern United States, — 

 in wliich the derivation of the generic names is explained. The 

 pcniis Hcpatica, p. fi, comes from the shape of the leaf resemlding 

 tliat of tlie liver. Jfi/osunis, p. !(•, means mouse-tail. Delpliin- 

 I'liiii, p. 12, is from delphin, a dolphin, and alludes to the sliape of 

 the flower, which was thought to resemble the classical figures of the 

 dolphin. Zanthoi-hiza, p. 13, is from two Greek words meaning 

 yellow-root, the common name of the plant. Cimicifiif/a, p. 14, is 

 formed of two Latin words, meaning, to drive away bugs, tl.e same 

 as its common name of Bugbane, the Siberian species being used to 

 keep away such vermin. Samjuinaria, p. 2G, is named from the 

 blood-like color of its juice. 



515. Other genera are dedicated to distinguished botanists or ])ro- 

 moters of natural science, and bear their names: such are 3/af/nolia, 

 p. 1"), which commemorates the early French botanist, Magnol, and 

 Jeffersonia, p. 20, named after President Jefferson, who sent the first 

 exploring expedition over the Rocky Mountains. Others bear the 

 name of the discoverer of the ])lant in question ; as, Sarracenia, p. 

 23, dedicated to Dr. Sarrazin of Quebec, who Avas one of the first 

 to send our common Pitcher-plant to tiie botanists of Europe ; and 

 Chiijto)iia, p. G5, first made known by the early Virginian botanist 

 Clayton. 



51 G. SpPflfic \illlirs. Tlie name of the species is also a single 

 word, a])peiuled to tliat of the genus. It is commonly an adjective, 

 and therefore agrees with the generic name in case, gender, &:c. 

 Sometimes it relates to tlie country the species inhabits; as, Clay- 

 tonia Virginica, first made known from Virginia ; Sanguinaria 

 Canadensis, from Canada, iVc. More commonly it denotes some 

 obvious or characteristic trait of the species; as, for example, in 

 Sarracenia, our northern species is named piirpnrea, from the pur- 

 ple blossoms, while a more sonthern one is named fttra, because 

 its petals are yellow; tlie species of Jelfersonia is called diphi/lhy 

 meaning two-leaved, because its leaf is divided into two leaflets. 

 Some species are named after the discoven-r, or in compliment to a 

 botanist who has made them known ; as, ISIagnolia Fraseri, named 

 after the botanist Fra<er, one of the fir-t to find this species ; Ka- 



