327 
ETYMOLOGY. 
M ANY cultivators and plant amateurs, not versed 
in scientific literature, complain of the ( to 
them) difficulty to pronounce names given to plants 
by botanists. This complaint is, however, more 
imaginary than real. They have only to recollect 
that time and use has made them perfectly familiar 
with such names as Pelargonium, Geranium, Hydran- 
gea, Calceolaria, Rhododendron, Chrysanthemum, Mesem- 
hryanthemum, Elscholtzia, Fuchsia, and many others 
now fluently spoken as if they were original words of 
them mother-tongue. Others say, these long-sounding 
names would be more readily reconciled to them if 
the meaning and bearing upon the plant were ex- 
plained. To meet this desire, I have drawn up the 
following table, showing the derivation of the genera 
of Ferns characterized in the preceding pages. 
As a general rule, it may be admitted that names 
of plants are derived from three principal sources. 
The first, and greater number, being generally a com- 
pound of two Greek words. The second, names of 
persons, with the addition of a Latin termination. The 
third source is various ; such as the adoption of local 
aboriginal names, names from Heathen Mythology, and 
