IV. Spermatophyta 



PHARMACEUTICAL BOTANY 



Cycadales 



Ginkgoales 



1. Gymnospermae ~ .? 



Coniferales 



Gnetales 



f Monocotyledoneae 



2. Angiospermae ~. 



I Dicotyledoneae 



BOTANICAL NOMENCLATURE 



Before Carl von Linne, (Linnaeus) the great Sweedish naturalist, 

 brought forth the binomial plan of nomenclature, no uniformity 

 existed in the assignment of plant names. Among the pre-Linnean 

 botanists there were some who designated plants by single names, 

 others who employed sentences in naming them, some of which 

 were quite lengthy, and a number who adhered to the practice of 

 naming them in their own modern tongue. The result was quite 

 obvious, a number of systems were employed and confusion pre : 

 vailed among students. According to the binomial plan, which 

 has been universally adopted, every plant belongs to a species which 

 is given two Latin names. The first name is the name of the genus 

 or generic name, the second, the name of the species or specific 

 name. The generic name corresponds, in the naming of persons, 

 to the surname or family name, while the specific name is analagous 

 to the given name. Thus, the Wild Cherry is named Prunus 

 serotina, Prunus representing the name of the genus, serotina the 

 specific name or kind of Prunus. The name of the genus (pi. genera) 

 is always a substantive in the singular number and must not be 

 applied to more than one genus. Its spelling should begin with a 

 capital letter. Genera names may be taken from any source what- 

 ever. Some, like Fagus for the Beech genus, and Acer for the Maple, 

 are of Latin origin. Others have been latinized from other lan- 

 guages. Some have been named after some therapeutic property, 

 their roots, leaves, flowers or seeds were thought to possess; for 

 example, Jafeorhiza, a latinized compound 'of two greek words, 

 idreipo:, healing, + ptfa, root, because of the healing virtues of the 

 root. A number have had names ascribed to them because of some 

 peculiarity of structure, color, taste, odor, behavior, habit or appear- 

 ance of the plant or portion thereof. 



