I fitonimi φέως, ἱππόφεως, ἱπποφαές e ἱππόφαιστον: una histoire des mots

This paper deals with the history of the Greek plant names φέως, ἱππόφεως, ἱπποφαές, and ἱππόφαιστον. In particular, the paper aims to reconstruct the relationship between such names and between the plants designated by them in the light of the information conveyed by Greek and Latin sources. Furthermore, a possible etymology of φέως, ἱππόφεως, and ἱππόφαιστον from *bheh2-w- ‘to shine’ is investigated, as well as a possible alternative etymology of ἱπποφαές, which could originate as a folk etymology for ἱππόφεως, from *gwhen- ‘to hit, to kill’.