48 PLANT NAMES 



USE 



A GOOD many plants were named from some useful 

 purpose to which they were applied. Carpinus is 

 said to have been a Celtic word meaning wood for 

 the head, referring, as does its English name Horn- 

 beam, to its use for making yokes for oxen. Carduus, 

 the Thistle, is called from its use in carding wool. 

 The derivation of Capsicum, red pepper, is given by 

 the Oxford Dictionary as from capsa, a case, refer- 

 ring to the capsule for the seed. It is more prob- 

 ably from Greek kapto, to swallow greedily, from 

 its use as a condiment. So Mustard, because for 

 this purpose it was mixed with mustum, or new 

 wine. 



Linnaeus gave the etymology of Cheiranthus, the 

 Wallflower, as from cheir, a hand, and anthos — that is, 

 a flower for the hand, as making a good nosegay. 

 The Arabic name, however, is kheyry, and this is 

 more likely the original of cheir, the anthos being 

 added to give it a Greek appearance. Hawthorn is 

 from the Anglo-Saxon haga, a hedge or fence. We 

 have the same word in " ha-ha," a sunk fence. 

 Galega, or Goat's Rue, is from Greek gala, milk 

 (" Galaxy," or the Milky Way), because it was 

 supposed to be good for milking goats. Fagus, the 

 Beech, is said to be from the Greek phago, to eat, 

 because its seeds are edible (at least, by pigs !). 

 Lavandula, Lavender, is from lavo, to wash, because 



