CHEIRANTHUS ALPINUS. 
ALPINE WALL FLOWER. 
Class. Order. 
TETR ADYNAMIA. SILIQUOSA. 
Natural Order. 
CRUCIFERS. 
Native of 
Height. 
Flowers in 
Duration. 
Introduced 
N. Europe. 
1 foot. 
May, July. 
Perennial. 
in 1810. 
No. 518. 
The Arabic name for a plant, rheyry, and an- 
thos, a flower, have been pointed out as the origin 
of Cheiranthus. Some authors have thought that 
the Greek keir, signifying the hand, may rather be 
looked on as the root of the former part of the 
name; thus making its signification hand-flower. 
It should be remembered that Linneus and others, 
when botanical light began to brighten upon Europe, 
only a century or two ago, in preference to invent- 
ing new names entirely, adopted numerous old ones. 
These were bestowed on plants as nearly resembling 
those to which the ancients had applied them, as 
could be determined from the very imperfect descrip- 
tions of Greek authors. N otwithstanding the polish 
and learning which are ascribed to the Greeks, espe- 
cially the Athenians, they certainly possessed no 
standard botanical nomenclature by which future 
generations could recognize their plants. This will 
account for many anomalies and uncertainties, 
which present themselves, with generic names. 
This little Cheiranthus is a pretty ornament, either 
on rock work, or for pot culture amongst alpines. 
It flourishes in light loam. 
Don’s Syst. Bot. v. 1, 154. 
