NOMENCLATURE OF PLANTS. 



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heat ; greenhouse plants, requmng glass with heat ; and hothouse plants, 

 which may be either dry-stove plants, such as Cacti, Aloes, Crassulas, &c., 

 which require a high degree of heat with a dry atmosphere, or damp-stove 

 plants, such as the Orchidacese, which require a high degree of moist heat. 



Sect. III. — Nomenclature of Plants^ with a view to Horticulture. 



76. The principles on which plants are named ought to be kno\\Ti to the 

 young gardener and the amateur ; partly because tiiey ought not to be 

 entirely ignorant of anything closely connected with their pursuit, and 

 partly because the names of plants sometimes indicate ideas respecting 

 their nature and culture. The names of the grand divisions, as we have 

 already seen, are compounded of Greek words expressive of the structure 

 or character of the division or subdivision. The names of the orders are, for 

 the most part, without meaning in themselves, further than as being the 

 names of certain genera which are considered as the types of the orders, all 

 the plants of which have a close general resemblance to that genus in struc- 

 tu re and properties. The same may be said of the names of tribes. 



77. The names of the genera of plants are chiefl}^ compounded of Greek 

 words signifying something respecting the plant, as Chionanthus, snow-flower, 

 from the snow}'- whiteness of the blossoms, or Gypsophila, because the plant 

 loves chalky soil ; or they are commemorative of individuals, as Smithia, after 

 Sir James Smith. Occasionally, but rarely, they are named after countries 

 or a people, as ^rmeniaca from Armenia, and Araucaria from the Arauca- 

 nians, a people of Chili. By far the greater number of generic names are after 

 persons, and those in tliis volume, and in all our other works, are distinguished 

 by having the letters additional to the name in italics, as explained with 

 other matters at the end of the Preface. Specific names are generally Latin 

 adjectives expressing some obvious quality of the plant ; or proper names 

 used adjectively, to signify the change that has taken place in removing the 

 species from the genus, of which the adjective was the name ; as for example, 

 Veronica Chamaj'drys indicates that Chamae'drys was formerly the generic 

 name of that species of Veronica. Commemorative names are also used as 

 specific names, sometimes in the genitive case, as Ferbena Drummondi, in- 

 dicating that the plant was discovered or originated by Mr. Drummond ; or 

 with the addition of ana as Ferbena Tweediawa, indicating that the plant 

 was named in honour of Mr. Tweedie. Specific names also often indicate 

 the situation or the country where the plant is found naturally, as paliistris 

 growing in marshes, or edinburgensis growing about Edinburgh. 



78. The names of varieties of plants given by Botanists follow the same 

 laws as those of species ; but the names given by horticulturists and florists 

 are sometimes indicative of properties, as large, small, &c., and for the 

 most part fanciful, and sometimes whimsical. In general, culinary vege- 

 tables and fruits bear the name of the person who raised them, with the 

 place where they were raised, with or without the addition of some adjective 

 expressing their properties, as Forest's Large Upsal Cabbage, Reid's New 

 Golden Pippin, &c. The names applied to varieties of gooseberries, florists' 

 flowers, and roses, are for the most part given in honour of individuals; some- 

 times they indicate a quah'ty, as Brown's Scarlet Verbena, and sometimes 

 they imply a superiority, or a challenge, as the Top-Sawyer gooseberry, or 

 Cox's Defiance Dahlia. The Dutch give their florists' flowers many high- 

 sounding titles, which at first sight appear ridiculous ; but in giving them 



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