‖ Serapias
(səˈreɪpɪæs)
[L. serāpias, f. the name of the Egyptian god Serāpis.]
Formerly, a book-name for various orchids, and for the dried roots of these as used in pharmacy. Now only mod. Latin (Bot.) as the name of an orchidaceous genus.
| 1597 Gerarde Herbal i. civ. 173 We haue called these kindes Serapias stones, or Orchis Serapiades,..taking the name as it were from Serapias the god of the Citizens of Alexandria... It is also called..in English Satyrion, and finger Orchis. 1640 Parkinson Theat. Bot. 1354 The properties of these Serapiaes. 1706 Phillips (ed. Kersey), Serapias, (Gr.) an Herb call'd Dog-stones, or Rag-wort. 1753 Chambers's Cycl. Suppl., Serapias, in the materia medica, the officinal name of the dried root, called salep. |