BOTANICAL NOMENCLATURE. 457 



Punica. Pomegranate. From Lat. punicum, pomegranate tree. 



Purpureus-a-um. Purple-colored. 



Purshianus-a-um. Adjective formed from Purshia. Named for Fred. 



Pursh, a German botanist and author of Flora America Septcntrionalis. 

 Pyrethrum. Pellitory. Feverfew. Ancient Greek name for a hot, spicy 



plant. 



Pyrus. Pear, Apple. Ancient Latin name for the pear tree. 

 Quassia. Named for a negro, Quassy or Quash, who prescribed this remedy 



as a specific. 

 Quebracho-bianco. From Sp. quebrantar, to break, -f hacha, an axe; 



in allusion to the hard and tough -bark. Blanco, white. 

 Quercus. Oak. The classical Latin name. 

 Quillaja. Soap bark. From vernacular quillai, Chili. 

 Racerhosus-a-um. Having racemes or clusters. 

 Radicans. Rooting. From Lat. radico, to take root; alluding to the fact 



that the stems send out roots. 

 Ranunculus. Crowfoot. Buttercup. The Latin name for a little frog; 



some species being aquatic. 

 Raphanus. Radish. The classical name. From Gr. />o, quickly, + ^aivofj.ai } 



to appear; alluding to the rapid germination. 

 Repens. Creeping. From Lat. repo, to creep. 

 Reptans. Creeping. From Lat. repto, to creep. 

 Reseda. Mignonette. From Lat. resedo, to calm, heal ; from its supposed 



sedative properties. 



Reticulatus-a-um. Reticulate, net-like. Lat. retia, a net; leaf -veins form- 

 ing a net-work. 



Rhamnus. Buckthorn. The ancient classical name. 

 Rhaponticus-a-um. Rhapontic. From Lat Rha, the Volga river, -f- 



ponticus, pertaining to the Pontic or Black Sea. The rhubarb growing 



on the banks of the Rha. 

 Rheum. Rhubarb. From Lat. Rha, the river Volga, on whose banks the 



plant grew. 

 Rhododendron. Rose-bay. The ancient name. From Gr. p66ov, a rose, + 



6ivfipov t a tree. 



Rhus. Sumach. The ancient classical name. 

 Ribes. Currant. Gooseberry. From Arabic ribas, a plant with an acid 



juice. 



Ricinus. Castor bean. The ancient Latin name. 

 Robinia. Locust. Named for John and Vespasian Robin, royal gardeners 



of Paris, seventeenth century. 



Robustus-a-um. Robust, strong, oaken. Lat. robur, oak. 

 Rosa. Rose. The ancient Latin name. 

 Roseus-a-um. Rose-colored, rosy. Lat. rosa, a rose. 

 Rosmarinus. Rosemary. From Lat. ros, dew, + marinus, belonging to the 



sea; from its maritime habitat. 



