IxXXvi INTRODUCTION. 



this general function the Latin word 2;?an^ 

 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; ce6elfyrding, ban, beo, biscop, Mod, 

 bran, brd^er, brune, calf, candel, cluf (dyf), 

 cyninges, feld, fie, glof, greate, hafoc, hols, 

 hod, homor, hrcetel, hyl, Icece, lid, li^, lung, 

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

 smert, spere, sprung, stic, suj^e, tunsing, wai, 

 wal, woeter, weal-. Modern botanists have 

 revived this termination for the comprehen- 

 sive designations of the Orders : — SalicacecB 

 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. 



