PLANT NAMES 5 



from which the name of any plant came affords a 

 fair presumption of the region where it is indigenous. 

 From the names of species, too, which are generally 

 descriptive, the gardener can sometimes get valu- 

 able hints. When he finds a plant described as 

 himalaicus, caucasicus, alpinus, or montanus, he 

 knows that it is at home on high elevations ; or if it 

 is called canadensis, sihericus, or arcticus, he knows 

 that it will stand a severe winter. If it is japonicus 

 or atlanticus, he may count on its being fairly hardy. 

 If it is chilensis or mexicanus, he will plant it in a 

 warm, sheltered place or against a south wall. And 

 if it is javanicus or madagascarensis, he will con- 

 sider it a fit subject for a hot-house. If, again, it is 

 labelled aquaticus, paludosus, or lacustris, he infers 

 that it will not thrive except by the pond-side or in 

 swampy ground. 



The study of popular plant names is quite dis- 

 tinct from that of the botanical names. Every 

 country has its own names ; consequently, these can- 

 not be used internationally, and are not regarded 

 by botanists. But they are very interesting, and 

 throw light on the character of the various races, 

 their folklore, their superstitions, their imagination, 

 their sense of beauty and poetical fancy. What a 

 picture, for example, does the name Goldregen or 

 Goldrain, the German for the Laburnum, bring before 

 our eyes ! It is truer than even Tennyson's " drop- 

 ping wells of fire." 



In our country very few names have come down 

 to us from pre-Saxon times, except from Celtic 



