Plants and their names

• Laurus
• Azalea
• Gippeastrum

The history of the names of many plants is no less interesting than the history of the discovery of themselves. Some plants that inhabit our planet, forever linked with the names of their "fathers" in botany: reminiscent of the great scientists of the famous people and even royalty. For example, growing in the Crimea brazilwood shrub with soft, like a mimosa, yellow flowers named after the Italian botanist 16 th century Chezalpino, tall tropical vine from Brazil bugenvilleya - after the French explorer Bougainville, Mattioli (a more familiar name for us - Levkoy) - after the Italian botanist and physician Mattioli, African Gerbera is associated with a German doctor Gerber, and dahlias - in honor of the Russian botanist 18 th century, George. |

For plant names can be found and their properties. Saksifraga (translation - "saxifrage"), so named for its ability to grow through any, even the most solid, coating. Quebracho ("breaking the Axe) and buksus (" hard ") - for the extraordinary strength of their wood, Koelreuteria (or" soapberry ") - for the fact that from top to bottom is rich soapy substance saponin. Large liana forests of South Asia has a poetic name of "vegetable fountain", but in this behalf laid very practical sense: it is necessary only to cut the trunk, as it starts from the jets to beat liquid. In botany there is even a plant "dumb cane", or scientifically - Dieffenbachia Segui. Juice of resident tropical Africa causes severe burns of the mouth and tongue: rasprobuesh negligently - not help for some time onemeesh. In the West Indies even punish slaves, forcing them to bite off the stem of the plant.

Many plant names and tell us about the medicinal properties of their respective owners. Take celandine, nard and burnet (the latter even though it sounds scary, actually tells us its name from the ability to stop the blood rather than suck it). A scabiosa (translation - "itch"), nicknamed so because it causes itching, but on the contrary - because it has long been treated with decoction of skin diseases.