4 
PHARMACEUTICAL BOTANY 
IV. Spermatophyta 
2. Angiospermae j 
i. Gymnospermae 
Cycadales 
Ginkgoales 
Coniferales 
Gnetales 
| Monocotyledoneae 
1 Dicotyledoneae 
BOTANICAL NOMENCLATURE 
Before Carl von Linne, (Linnaeus) the great Sweedish naturalist, 
brought forth the binomial plan of nomenclature, no uniformity 
existed in the assignment of plant names. Among the pre-Linnean 
botanists there were some who designated plants by single names, 
others who employed sentences in naming them, some of which 
were quite lengthy, and a number who adhered to the practice bf 
naming them in their own modern tongue. The result was quite 
obvious, a number of systems were employed and confusion pre¬ 
vailed among students. According to the binomial plan which 
has been universally adopted, every plant belongs to a species which 
is given two Latin names. The first name is the name of the genus 
or generic name, the second, the name of the species or specific 
name. The generic name corresponds, in the naming of persons, 
to the surname or family name, while the specific name is analagous 
to the given name. Thus, the Wild Cherry is named Prunus 
serofyna, Prunus representing the name of the genus, serotina the 
specific name or kind of Prunus. The name of the genus (pi. genera) 
is always a substantive in the singular number and must not be 
applied to more than one genus. Its spelling should begin with a 
capital letter. Genera names may be taken from any source what¬ 
ever. Some, like Fagus for the Beech genus, and Acer for the Maple, 
are of Latin origin. Others have been latinized from other lan¬ 
guages. Some have been named after some therapeutic property, 
their roots, leaves, flowers or seeds were thought to possess; for 
example, Jateorhiza , a latinized compound of two greek words, 
iareLpa, healing, + ptfot, root, because of the healing virtues of the 
root. A number have had names ascribed to them because of some 
peculiarity of structure, color, taste, odor, behavior, habit or appear 
ance of the plant or portion thereof. 
