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DOMESTIC BOTANY. 



cuius belongs is called Ranunculacece. In general, most 

 names of families terminate in acecs ; but those derived 

 from some special character of the whole family terminate 

 in ce, as Crucifem, Leguminosece, &c. 



To assist in popularizing the natural system, Dr. 

 Lindley has in his " Vegetable Kingdom" given English 

 names to the families, and in doing so has, as far as 

 possible, adopted the original popular names by which 

 the leading species of families are known. Many British 

 plants are known by the familiar names of Worts, which 

 is generally gonsidered to imply soft weedy herbs, as 

 rag-wort, mug-wort, soap-wort, &c. Several of these 

 words have been adopted as the English names to the 

 families they belong to. Dr. Lindley however, does not 

 restrict this term to weedy plants, as he applies it freely 

 to trees and shrubs, such as elm-worts, the Elm tree 

 family ; birch- worts, the Birch tree family ; apple- 

 worts, the Apple tree family: also to exotics, as citron- 

 worts, the Orange ti'ee family ; sandal-worts, the San- 

 dal wood family ; Napoleon-worts ; the latter being 

 represented by a tree of peculiar character. To these, as 

 well as to many others, the word Wort does not appear 

 very appropriate. But for many families possessing no 

 special features, either in name, character, or properties, 

 no suitable English name can be devised. To meet this, 

 he changes the termination of the scientific name, thus 

 imparting to it an English reading : for example, Mag- 

 noliacese, Magnolads ; Menispermaceae, Menispermads ; 

 Iridaceee, Irads. Even families with good English names 

 may be called ads ; thus the Lily family, Lilyads ; the 

 Primrose family, Primulads, &c. 



From these names it is common to form adjectives, by 

 changing the termination to ous: thus the family 



