existing
divinely and unchangeably from age to age, ungrieved by man's neglect, and
inflexible by his power.

And this divine character will be expressed by the epithet 'Sacred,' taking
the sense in which we attach it to a dominant and christened majesty, when
it belongs to the central type of any forceful order;--'Quercus sacra,'
'Laurus sacra,' etc.,--the word 'Benedicta,' or 'Benedictus,' being used
instead, if the plant be too humble to bear, without some discrepancy and
unbecomingness, the higher title; as 'Carduus Benedictus,' Holy Thistle.

25. Among the gentes of flowers bearing girls' names, the dominant one will
be simply called the Queen, 'Rose Regina,' 'Rose the Queen' (the English
wild rose); 'Clarissa Regina,' 'Clarissa the Queen' (Mountain Pink); 'Lucia
Regina,' 'Lucy the Queen' (Spring Gentian), or in simpler English, 'Lucy of
Teesdale,' as 'Harry of Monmouth.' The ruling flowers of groups {193} which
bear names not yet accepted for names of girls, will be called simply
'Domina,' or shortly 'Donna.' 'Rubra domina' (wild raspberry): the wild
strawberry, because of her use in heraldry, will bear a name of her own,
exceptional, 'Cora coronalis.'

26. These main points being understood, and concessions made, we may first
arrange the greater orders of land plants in a group of twelve, easily
remembered, and with very little forcing. There must be _some_ forcing
always to get things into quite easily tenable form, for Nature always has
her ins and outs. But it is curious how fitly and frequently the number of
twelve may be used for memoria technica; and in this instance the Greek
derivative names fall at once into harmony with the most beautiful parts of
Greek mythology, leading on to early Christian tradition.

27. Their series will be, therefore, as follows: the principal subordinate
groups being at once placed under each of the great ones. The reasons for
occasional appearance of inconsistency will be afterwards explained, and
the English and French forms given in each case are the terms which would
be used in answering the rapid question, 'Of what order is this flower?'
the answer being, It is a 'Cyllenid,' a 'Pleiad,' or a 'Vestal,' as one
would answer of a person, he is a Knight of St. John or Monk of St.
Benedict; while to the question, of what gens, we answer, a Stella or an
Erica, as one would answer of a person, a Stuart or Plantagenet. {194}

I. CHARITES.
ENG. CHARIS. FR. RHODIADE.
Rosa.