BOOK I. NAMES OF SPECIES AND VARIETIES. 125 



pressed in its specific name, as Brassica oleracca, Papaver somnjferum, Inocarjrus cdttlis , 

 so is likewise its time of flowering, as Primula veris, Leucojum vernum, a-stivum, and 

 autumnale, and Helleborus hyemalis. 



569. When a plant has been erroneously made a distinct genus, the name so applied to it 

 may be retained for a specific appellation, as Lathrcea Phelypasa, and Bartsia Gymnan- 

 dra ; which may also be practised when a plant has been celebrated, either in botanical, 

 medical, or any other history, by a particular name, as Origanum Dictamnns, Artemisia. 

 Drucunculus, Laurus Cmnamomum, Selinum Carvifolia, Carica Papaya. In either case 

 the specific name stands as a substantive, retaining its own gender and termination, and 

 must begin with a capital letter. 



570. A specific name is occasionally adapted to some historical fact belonging to the plants 

 or to the person whose name it bears, as Linncea borealis, from the great botanist of 

 the north ; Murrfca exotica, after one of his favorite pupils, a foreigner ; Browallia 

 demissa and elata, from a botanist of humble origin and character, who afterwards became 

 a lofty bishop. In like manner Bujfonia tenuifolia, is well known to be a satire on the 

 slender botanical pretensions of the great French zoologist. 



571. Names sanctioned by general use are for the most part held sacred among botanists. 

 The study of natural history is, from the multitude of objects with which it is conver- 

 sant, necessarily so encumbered with names, that students require every possible assist- 

 ance to facilitate the attainment of those names, and have a just right to complain of 

 every needless impediment. The names established throughout the works of Linnaeus, 

 are become current coin, nor can they be altered without great inconvenience. Those 

 who alter names, often for the worse, according to arbitrary rules of their own, or in 

 order to aim at consequence, which they cannot otherwise attain, are best treated with 

 silent neglect. When, however, solid discoveries and improvements are made in the 

 science ; when species or genera have been confounded by Linnasus himself, and new 

 ones require to be separated from them, the latter must necessarily receive appropriate 

 appellations; as also when a totally wrong and absurd name has by mistake been given, 

 as Begonia capensis. In such cases names must give place to things, and alterations 

 proceeding from such causes must be submitted to. (Smith's Introduction, ch. 22.) 



SECT. IV. Names of Varieties and Subvarieties. 



572. The names which botanists give to varieties are of the simplest description ; they 

 always convey an idea of the variation which has taken place, and are used in addition 

 to the specific name. Thus we have Caltha j)alustris, the species, and palustiis Jlore 

 pleno, the double-flowered caltha, &c. As a series of species are commonly numbered 

 1, 2, 3, &c. so the varieties of a species, are generally, for distinction sake, designated 

 by the letters of the Greek alphabet, thus : Brassica oleracea, the species ; a. Capitata, 

 the first species; fi. liubra, the second species; 7. Sabauda , 5. Sabellica, &c. 



573. Subvarieties of plants are accidental modifications of varieties of a very temporary 

 and fluctuating nature. They are generally produced by culture, and are more espe- 

 cially known in garden-fruits, culinary vegetables, and what are called florists' flowers. 

 The differences among subvarieties are generally so slight, or so difficult to define, as 

 not to admit of the application of scientific names. Botanists, therefore, pay no 

 attention to them ; but gardeners, to whom they are of considerable importance, have 

 found it necessary in some way or other to distinguish them, and they generally apply 

 the name of the person or place, by whom or where, they were originated. Tims Pyrus 

 malus is the crab or apple, P. malus var. domestica, the cultivated apple. Pyrus 

 malus var. domestica subvar. Downton pippin, apple raised from seed at Downton. 

 P. m. v. d. subvar. Kirk's fame, &c. Brassica oleracea var. capitata, common white 

 cabbage. B. o. var. c. subvar. Battersea early common cabbage, an early variety 

 raised at Battersea. Dianthus caryophyllus is the clove pink. D. c. var. florc pleno 

 is the carnation. Dian. cary. var. fl. pi. subvar. Hogg's seedling, a variety of carnation 

 raised by Hogg. D. c. fl. pi. subvar. Lady Jane Grey, a variety of carnation named 

 after Lady Jane Grey. A refinement on this sort of nomenclature consists in adding 

 the name of the person who originated the subvariety, to the name of the person or 

 place after whom or which it was named ; thus, Hogg's Lady Jane Grey, Duncan's 

 Cheshire hero, &c. " To raise a fine new variety of any florist's flower, to name it after 

 some great personage, and with that name to couple your own, is the greatest honor, 

 says Kmmerton (Treatise on the Auricula") , which a florist can aspire to." 



574. Names of subvarieties which indicate something of their properties are to be preferred, 

 as Black July-grape, June-eating-apple, &c. ; or such as indicate the place or time where 

 or when they were originated or abound, as Deptford onion, Claremont nuptials primrose, 

 or the Afflicted queen carnation. Such names convey ideas which may prove useful 

 as to the qualities of the variety : thus the first and second names convey some idea of 

 the time of ripening ; the third* some idea of the soil and climate in which the plant 

 thrives ; the fourth and fifth, the date, and consequently the age of the variety. 



