934 ON THE BOTANICAL TERMS FOR PUBESCENCE. 
hispidus, which Henslow in turn makes equal to strigosus, it can be 
seen how little precision has been attained. 
It would appear as if the introduction of the post-Linnean term 
hirtus was answerable for much of the confusion. According to 
drew’s ‘ Lexicon,’ the primary form of hirsutus was ‘“ hirsus, & 
variation of hirtus”; hirsutus being ‘quite classical,” and Airtus 
P an.” The two words are therefore identical 
in origin, and both are given as the equivalent of the Greek ducts. 
» & 
its disappearance from descriptive botany would be a step in the 
right direction. 
olosericeus, sericeus, and velutinus are other instances of vaguely 
defined words, although the three can and should be made to 
describe three distinct states of pubescence. Holosericeus is omitted 
by Linneus, DeCandolle, Bentham, and Henslow; and by Germain 
St. Pierre it is made a synonym, in one place of sericeus, in another 
of velutinus, the latter also being its equivalent according to Sir 
Joseph Hooker. Lindley, however, seems to have carefully special- 
ised the term as ‘silky: so covered with hairs that it feels soft to 
the touch, although the naked eye may fail to detect the presence 
te) 
without the drawback of synon uld appear to signify 
covered with fine close straight hairs of silky sheen lying along the 
surface, while velutinus should me pile of 
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lanatus, long, loosely appressed and curled woolly hairs. : 
_ The following is an attempt to define each term, and to give it 
its place in one of two series, the first of which comprises pubescence 
of distinct hairs, the second a more or less dense covering of the 
whole surface described :-— 
Series I. 
1. Pubescens.—Furnished with not very numerous soft and downy 
or short hairs. (Hairs fewer and shorter than in villosus). 
2. Villosus.—Furnished with long and soft hairs lying on the surface. 
(Hairs finer and more appressed than in pilosus). 
8. Pilosus.—Furnished with slightly stiffened distinct hairs ascend- 
ing from the surface. (Hairs less coarse, shorter, and fewer 
han in hirsutus), : 
4. Hirsutus.—Beset with long and rather coarse or stiff hairs. 
airs less rigid and erect than in hispidus). 
