GENERIC NAMES. 295 



has negligently been applied is an Arundo. Of the, 

 latter sort is Cissampelos, formed of Cissus, another 

 established genus, and Ampelos, a Vine ; the latter not 

 among Linnasan names : also El&agnu*, constructed 

 of two old Greek names, neither of which is now in 

 botanical use by itself. These are both expressly al- 

 lowed by Linnaeus, nor indeed can there be any ob- 

 jection to the latter. Cissampelos may certainly justify 

 Hyoscyamus, composed of Cyamus and a word de- 

 noting swine ; if not, this would prove an objection to 

 the reestablishment of Cyamus, much more to the 

 purpose than any that has been advanced ; for Hyos- 

 cyamus having been so long and universally used in 

 systematic botany, could scarcely give place, even to 

 its venerable prototype. On the same ground only 

 can several new generic names, used in the fern tribe, 

 be admitted. These are formed out of Pteris, the 

 established generic appellation of a common Brake, 

 with some other Greek word prefixed ; as Angiopteris, 

 a Brake with a capsule, Tmesipteris, a cloven Brake, 

 and Ctfnopteris, a new Brake. Whatever may become 

 of the former two, I must always protest against the 

 last, -given by the celebrated Bergius to the Darea of 

 Jussieu, on account of its unexampled impropriety. As 

 well might any new genus, resembling a Rose, be 

 called Novarosa; for though the Greek language may 

 assist us with regard to sound, it can never make 

 amends for a radical deficiency of sense. 



