1858.] BUCKBEAN. 431 



question is no exceptional example, but a corroborative proof of 

 the general truth of the old saw. The newly-devised generic 

 names we should not expect to find there, either in the body of 

 the work or in the appendix; but besides the very recently 

 added names, there are many others, among which the following 

 occur : — Arnoseris, Athyrium, Blysmus, Ceterach, Cicendia, Hon- 

 kenya, Lastrea, Lentibulacece (an ordinal name), Lepigonum, 

 Lepturus, Monesis, Mulgedium, Obione, Oporinia, Simethis, etc. 

 But even granting that the generic and ordinal names are ex- 

 plained, most of the non gnari botanices want to know something 

 of the derivation and history of specific and trivial names, and 

 especially of such as were once generic names, such as Dryopteris, 

 Phegopteris, Otites, Odontites, Psyllium, Lunaria, Trichomanes , 

 etc. Gentlemen who have well-furnished bookshelves, may re- 

 commend the inquirers into such matters to turn over the pages 

 of their quarto ' Ainsworth,^ or to look into ' Du Cange,' or ' De 

 Fresne/ or ' Stephens,' or the ponderous and expensive Lexi- 

 cons and Encyclopaedias of more recent times. But there are 

 many readers of, ay, and writers in, the ' Phytologist,' whose bo- 

 tanical library or works of reference are limited to the ' Manual 

 of British Botany,' or Hooker and Arnott's ' British. Flora,' with 

 perhaps a ' Bailey's Dictionary.' Such should have the privilege 

 of stating their wants in the pages of the ' Phytologist,' even 

 though the information sought might be obtainable in ' Paxton's 

 Dictionary.' - Zeta. 



BUCKBEAN. 



A correspondent asks (Phyt. ii. 191), " What is the meaning 

 and derivation of Buckbean ? " The name is discarded by Miller, 

 who prefers Bogbean ; but our correspondent believes Buckbean 

 to be correct. The derivation of the word or term Buckwheat 

 will help us in answering this query. Buckwheat is a synonym 

 of Fagopyrus ; and Fagopyrus, literally rendered, is Beechwheat, 

 from (f)7]jo<i beech, Trvpo^ wheat. It would be difficult now to 

 say what was exactly the reason of calling the plant now known 

 as Polygonum Fagopyrum, or Fagopyrum esculentum, by this 

 name. But as wheat is eaten, and as F. esculentum means, what 

 may be eaten, so far there is a resemblance, at least in the final 



