124 SCIENCE 01 GARDENING. Part II. 



with a torrent of uncouth and unmanageable words, but we should be puzzled where to 

 fix our choice, as the same plant may have fifty different original denominations in differ- 

 ent parts of the world, and we might happen to choose one by which it is least known. 

 There are however some exceptions, such as Acacia, Alisma, which are of Celtic origin, 

 and jErua, Alchemilla, derived from the Arabic. 



565. Such names as indicate some striking -peculiarity in the genus are to be preferred : 

 as Glycyrrhiza, a sweet root, for the liquorice ; Amaranthus, without decay, for an evep 

 lasting flower ; Helianthus, a sun-flower ; Lithospermum, a stony seed ; Eriocalia, a 

 flower with a singularly woolly base or cup ; Origanum, an ornamental mountain plant ; 

 Hemerocallis, beauty of a day ; Arenaria, a plant that inhabits sandy places ; and Gypso- 

 phila, one that loves a chalky soil. Such as mark the botanical character of the genus, 

 when they can be obtained for a nondescript plant, are peculiarly desirable ; as Cerato- 

 petalum, from the branched horn -like petals ; Lasiopetalum, from the very singularly 

 woolly corolla ; Calceolaria, from the shoe-like figure of the same part ; Concilium, from 

 the exact resemblance of its fruit to a bivalve shell. 



566. To dedicate certain plants to the honor of distinguished persons has been customary 

 in all ages. Thus Euphorbia commemorates the physician of Juba a Moorish prince, 

 and Gentiana immortalises a king of Illyria. The scientific botanists of modern times 

 have adopted the same mode of preserving the memory of benefactors to their science ; 

 and though the honor may have been sometimes extended too far, that is no argument 

 for its total abrogation. Some uncouth names thus unavoidably deform our botanical 

 books ; but this is often effaced by the merits of their owners, and it is allowable to model 

 them into grace as much as possible. Thus the elegant Tournefort made Gundelia, from 

 Gundelscheimer ; which induced Sir J. E. Smith to choose Goodenia, for his friend Dr. 

 Goodenough, though it has, when too late, been suggested that Goodenoxna might have 

 been preferable. Some difficulty has arisen respecting French botanists on account of 

 the additional names by which their grandeur, or at least their vanity, was displayed 

 during the existence of the monarchy. Hence Pittonia was applied to the plant conse- 

 crated to Pitton de Tournefort; but Linnaeus preferred the name by which alone he was 

 known out of his country, or in learned language, and called the same genus Tourne- 

 fortia. 



561. A fanciful atuilogy between botanists and the plants named after them has been 

 made by Linnaeus in the Crilica Botanica. Thus Bauhinia, after the two distinguished 

 brothers John and Gaspard Bauhin, has a two-lobed or twin leaf. Scheuchzeria, a grassy 

 alpine plant, commemorates the two Scheuchzers, one of whom excelled in the knowledge 

 of alpine productions, the other in that of grasses. Dorstenia, with its obsolete flowers, 

 devoid of all beauty, alludes to the antiquated and uncouth book of Dorstenius. Her- 

 nandia, an American plant, the most beautiful of all trees in its foliage, but furnished 

 with trifling blossoms, bears the name of a botanist highly favored by fortune, and al- 

 lowed an ample salary for the purpose of investigating the natural history of the Western 

 world, but whose labors have not answered the expense. On the contrary, Magnolia, 

 with its noble leaves and flowers, and Dillenia, with its beautiful blossoms and fruit, 

 serve to immortalise two of the most meritorious among botanists. Linncea, a de- 

 pressed abject Lapland plant, long overlooked, flowering at an early age, was named by 

 Gronovius after its prototype Linnaeus. 



Sect. III. Names of Species. 

 568. Specific names should be formed on similar principles to the generic ones ; but some 

 exceptions are allowed, not only without inconvenience, but with great advantage. 

 Such as express the essential specific character are unexceptionable, as Banksia serrata, 

 integrifolia, dentata, &c. ; but perhaps those which express something equally certain, 

 but not comprehended in that character, are still more useful, as conveying additional 

 information, like Ixora alba and coccinea, Scleranthus annuus and perennis, Aletris fra- 

 grans, Saxifraga cernua, &c. ; for which reason it is often useful, that vernacular names 

 should not be mere translations of the Latin ones. Comparative appellations are very 

 good, as Banksia ericifolia, Andromeda salicifolia, Saxifraga bryoides, Milium cimicinum, 

 Elymus Hystrix, Pedicularis Sceptrum. Names which express the local situations of 

 different species are excellent, such as Melampyrum arvense, pratense, nemorosum and 

 sylvalicum, Carex arenaria, uliginosa and sylvatica, as well as aquatica, maritima, 

 rupestris, alpina, nivalis, used for many plants. But names derived from particular 

 countries or districts are liable to much exception, few plants being sufficiently local to 

 justify their use. Thus Ligxisticum cornubiense is found not only in Cornwall, but in 

 Portugal, Italy, and Greece ; Schwenkia americana grows in Guinea as well as in 

 South America. Such therefore, though suffered to remain on the authority of 

 Linnaeus, will seldom or never be imitated by any judicious writer, unless Trollius 

 europceus and asiaticus may justify our naming the third species of that genus, lately 

 brought from America, americanus. The use of a plant is often commodiously ex 



