BOTANICAL NOMENCLATURE. 453 



Miiricatus-a-um. Rough with short, hard points. Lat. murex, a pointed 



rock. 

 Myosotis. Forget-me-not. The ancient classical name. From Gr. pv$, a 



mouse, otf, wrof, the ear. From the short and soft leaves in some 



species. 

 Myrica. Wax myrtle. Bayberry. From Gr. /ziy></o/, ancient name of the 



tamarisk. 



Myristica. Nutmeg. From Gr. pvpifa, to be fragrant. 

 Myrrha. Myrrh. Ancient classical name for the balsamic juice of the 



Arabian myrtle. 



Myrtus. Myrtle tree. The ancient classical name. 

 Napaea. Glade mallow. From Gr. vdirq, a woody dell. 

 Napellus. Little turnip. Diminutive of Lat. napus, a turnip. 

 Narcissus. The ancient Greek name. From vdpxq, numbness, because of 



its narcotic properties. Or, according to others, from Narcissus, a 



youth, who according to a myth was changed into this flower. 

 Nardus. Spikenard. The ancient Greek name. 

 Nectandra. Bebeeru. Pichury beans. From Gr. venrap, nectar, -f- avqp t 



man, nectar stamen. 



Nelumbo. Sacred bean. Lotus lily. From vernacular, Ceylon. 

 Nepeta. Catnip. Cat mint. The ancient Latin name. 

 Neslia. Ball mustard. Named for J. A. N. de Nesle, French botanist. 

 Nicotiana. Tobacco. Named for Jean Nicot, a French diplomat, who 



was thought to have introduced tobacco into Europe (1530-1600). 

 Nigella. Fennel flower. Diminutive of Lat. niger, black, from the color 



of the seeds. 



Niger-gra-grum. Black, dark. 

 Nobilis-e. Famous, noted, well-born. 

 Nux-vomica. Lat. nux, a nut, and vomo, to vomit. 

 Nymphaea. Yellow pond lily. Ancient Greek name for the water lily, 



which was dedicated to the water nymphs. 

 Nyssa. Tupelo. Pepperidge. The Latin name of a water nymph, nurse 



of Bacchus; because the original species of the plant grows in water. 

 Obtusifolius-a-um. Having leaves blunted or rounded at the end. Lat. 



obtusus, blunted, -f- folium, leaf. 

 Occidentalis-e. Occidental. Western. 



Odontorhizon. Crawley-root. From Gr. o&wf, a tooth, -f- p%a, a root. 

 Odoratus-a-um. Emitting a smell, especially sweet-smelling, fragrant. 

 (Enothera. Evening primrose. An ancient Greek name of a plant. 

 Officinalis-e. Pertaining to the shop. From Lat. officina, a workshop. 

 Oleaceae. Olive family. From Lat. olea, olive tree. 

 Oleum. Gr. llatov, olive oil; hence oil. 

 Onoclea. Sensitive fern. Ancient Greek name of a plant. 

 Operculina. Turpeth root. Probably from Lat. operculum, a covering. 

 Opium. Gr. diriov, poppy juice. 



