of Botanical Names. 497 



as compounded with tcapirog 6 ; while Sorocephalus should be feminine, as 

 compounded with Ksc&aX?; ■>) ; and where the terminating word is common, as 

 icXadog 6, ?/, or to, in Gymnocladus, the feminine should be used, as most con- 

 sonant with the general rule. Where the Greek termination is retained, the 

 Greek gender should be retained also : but in some cases the Greek word 

 has been Latinised with a termination in which the retaining of the Greek 

 gender would clash with Latin rules. Of the former, Anigozanthos furnishes 

 an example, being neuter, as compounded with avOog to ; of the latter, 

 Cheiranthus, which is made masculine, though compounded with precisely 

 the same word, because the neuter gender would be clearly inadmissible. 

 It were much better feminine ; and though custom may enforce adherence 

 in this termination and in similar ones, it is to be hoped that botanists, in 

 future compounds where a change of termination leaves the gender at their 

 disposal, will comply with the general rule. Enkianthus is made feminine, 

 and forms one among many examples of the discrepancy which has arisen 

 from want of adherence to some general principle. With regard to names 

 compounded of pure Latin words there can be no difficulty. 



For the information of the gardener we may here notice that an arbitrary 

 change of termination and gender is sometimes apparent, where in reality 

 none exists : for instance, in Peliosanthes, the termination anthes is from 

 avQri ■>) (not avQog to), consequently feminine ; and in names ending in 

 stylus masculine, and stylis feminine, the former is from arvXog 6, the 

 latter from arvXig r/. In the same way, Theobroma fern, and Bubroma 

 neut. (as in Steudel's Norn. Pot.) might be defended, the latter by fipMjxa 

 to, the former by l3po)jj,t] r). Abroma is neuter in Hort. Cantabrig., feminine 

 in Encyc. of Plants, and either might be justified. It would be better 

 to make them neuter, from fipuiia, as the most direct etymon. 



Principles of Accentuation. — As, in spite of the greatest vigilance, typo- 

 graphical errors will sometimes creep in, it may not be out of place here to 

 state the principles by which the accentuation of botanical names is regu- 

 lated, with regard to such words as are not to be found in a dictionary ; in 

 order that the intelligent gardener, when he meets with a word accentuated 

 contrarily to what he has been accustomed to see, may be able to decide 

 for himself as to its propriety. 



Of the Names of Natural Orders ending in ecc the penult is short, as 

 i?hamneae : except where the penultimate e is preceded by another vowel, 

 when it is lengthened to facilitate pronunciation, as Paronychia ; and 

 those in which the penultimate e is long in the generic name from which 

 that of the order is formed, as Phymelea, Phymeleag ; Orobanche, Oroban- 

 chese. Those in ince, derived from names of plants, are short in every case, 

 as Scrophularinae. 



The Quantity of Names of Genera is regulated by that of the etymon, as 

 Anictanglum (ayjaov), Triosteum (oo-teov). Of those formed from words 

 with a long final syllable, by changing the final letter or by subjoining a 

 letter or syllable, the penult is long, as Microtea, from jutcpoTng ; in other 

 cases, the common rules are followed, as Calathea, from icaXaOog. Com- 

 pound words should be considered as one word, not two, and accented 

 accordingly, as, Coccoloba (kokkoc \o6og), not Coccoloba. 



Words derived from Names of Persons appear to be regulated by the 

 quantity of such names in the original language, as Selloa, Averrhoa : so 

 do those formed from the aboriginal appellations, as Remirea. Where the 

 quantity is not ascertainable, they should follow the general rule; and 

 perhaps it would be better to follow this rule in all cases, as the sound 

 of several names, Cattley for example, cannot be retained with propriety : 

 in the instance adduced, it must either be Cattleya or Cattleya. There 

 are numerous words ending in era, derived from names of persons, in which 

 the penult is constantly made long, in the teeth of a very comprehensive 

 general rule ; if not irreclaimable, these should be reduced to order. 

 Vol. VI. — No. 27. k k 



