327 



ETYMOLOGY.* 



MANY cultivators and plant amateurs, not versed 

 in scientific literature, complain of the (to 

 them) difficulty to pronounce names given to planta 

 by botanists. This complaint is, however, more 

 imaginary than real. They have only to recollect 

 that time and use has made them perfectly familiar 

 with such names as Pelargonium, Geranium, Hydran- 

 gea, Calceolaria, Rhododendron, Chrysanthemum, Mesem- 

 bryanthemum, Elscholtzia, Fuchsia, and many others 

 now fluently spoken as if they were original words of 

 their mother-tongue. Others say, these long-sounding 

 names would be more readily reconciled to them if 

 the meaning and bearing upon the plant were ex- 

 plained. To meet this desire, I have drawn up the 

 following table, showing the derivation of the genera 

 of Ferns characterized in the preceding pages. 



As a general rule, it may be admitted that names 

 of plants are derived from three principal sources. 

 The first, and greater number, being generally a com- 

 pound of two Greek words. The second, names of 

 persons, with the addition of a Latin termination. The 

 third source is various ; such as the adoption of local 

 aboriginal names, names from Heathen Mythology, and 



