Abstract

CLEPPER, H. 1984. What’s in a tree name? Am. Forest 90(1): 20-21, 58.

Renowned for its beauty, dogwood is showy in the spring, thanks to its petal-like bracts. Tree watchers may wonder why such a decorative shrub should be saddled with the seemingly inappropriate name of dogwood. The explanation is this: in Britain, the bark of a species of this genus was used to make a chemical infusion. This tincture was said to be a medicinal cure for mange in dogs. American colonists were thus led to adopt the name for our own native dogwood. Common names of other well-known trees are frequently of obsure origin. Consider the attractive horsechestnut. Obviously it is not a horse, and botanically it is not chestnut. But there is an interpretation: when the leaf has fallen off, the twig shows a small scar that resembles a horse’s hoof — that is, if you have a good imagination. The list of apparently unsuitable common names could be prolonged. These two are cited to illustrate the often unclear sources of the vernacular. On the other hand, many names are derived from quickly understandable sources.

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