Trees of New York State 407 



GLOSSARY OF DERIVATIONS 



Abies — The L. comuion iiiuiie for the European fir. 



Acacia — fr. the Gr. uKUKia the thorn tree of Egypt (fr. amc a thorn) through 



the L. Acacia. The common name of several species of the Legv/minosae. 

 Acer — L. L. generic naiiu^ for the maple, l^om the Celtic ac, hard^ referring 



to the quality of the wootl. 

 aceroides — L. (maple-liko) from Acer, maple, and oldes (like-see amygdal- 



aides). The specific name of the old genus, Negundo. 

 acuminata — L. (sharp -pointed) fr. acuminare, to make sharp, referring to 



the sliarp teeth on tlio leaves of Quercus acuminata (Muhlcnhergii). 

 Aesculus — Ij. referring to the European "mast tree," (the L. common name) 



j)erhaps Qitercus Aesculus. 

 Ailanthus — L. L. for ' ' uilanto, ' ' the Chinese common name for the tree, and 



referring to the height in the native habitat. 

 allegheniensis — L. L. referring to the geographical habitat of Betula lutea. 

 alba — L. (white) a word allied to the Gr. 'ri/^oi; through the Sabine alpum, 



and referring to the wliite wood of Carya alba, and Querent alba; to the 



white under surfaces of the leaves of Salix alba, and Populus alba; the 



white fruit of Murus alba; and to the glaucous foliage of Picea alba 



(caiiadensis) . 

 alternifolia — L. (alternate-leaves) from alter, other, -nus (belonging to), and 



-folium fr. the Gr. ^u/zoi', leaf; referring to the apparently alternate leaves 



of Cornus alternifolia. 

 amara — !>. L. (a trenc.li or ditch) f r. the Gr. a/iafja^ referring to the firm 



grooved bark or the slightly grooved petiole of Carya minima. 

 ambigua — L. (luioert^iin), referring to a northern variant of Quercus rubra. 

 AmelancMer — L. L. fr. the common name of a species in Havoy, of uncertain 



origin. 

 americana — L. L. (America) referring to the geographical habitat of several 



species. 

 amygdaloides — L. (like an almond) fr. the Gr. a/ztiyfraXot the almond, andttVJt*; 



appearing like ; referring to the peach-like or almond-like leaves of Salix 



amygdaloides. 

 Amygdalus — L. (tlie almond) fr. the Gr. iifib-)6a?.nr, referring to a group of 



Asiatic txees among wliich are included A. 2}er,nca {Prwnus Persica) 



the peach, and A. communis (Prunus AmygdalU'S), the almond. 

 Apple — fr. the A. S. aepl — origin unknown, * in the Teutonic laoiguages. 



The common name for Pyriis Mains. 

 Alalia — a generic name of uiLkno\%ni origin. 

 Arbor-vitae — • f r. the L. arbor, tree; and vitae of life. Tlie common name of 



Thuja Occident alis. 

 Ash — • fr. the Teut. type askiz through the A. S. aesc. * in all Tent, lan- 

 guages. The common name of Fraxinus. 

 Asimina - — an early Fr. name for the papaw, corrupted from the Algonquin, 



rassimina, sleeve-fruit. 

 Aspen — ^ (asp & en — an adj. ending as wood-en) fr, the A. S. aespe. * in 



Teut. languages. The common name for Populus. 

 atropunicea — L. (dark brown) from ater, brown, and punicea, yellow, refer- 

 ring to the color of the autumn leaves of Fagus atropunicea {grandifolia) . 

 Aucuparia — L. (relating to bird catching) from aucupium, bird-catching, 



referring perhaps to the tendency of the birds to feed upon the fruit of 



Pyrus Aucuparia. 

 aiirantlac — Ij.. (resembling the orange) fr. the Skr. naranga, the orange; 



referring to tlie similarity of the leaves of Madura pomifera to those of 



the orange, and to the size of the fruit, 

 avium - Ij. (out of the way) fr. a^ out of, and via, way; referring perhaps to 



the habitat of the European Prunus avium; perhaps a variant of the 



Ij. avis, bird, since birds frequently feed on the fruit of this species, 

 babylonica — ^ L. (Babylon) through the Gr. •lafiv^ui'; referring to the origin 



of Salix babylonica. 



