in botany, a genus of the gynandria diandra class. The generic character is taken from the nectarium, which is tubular, situated at the bottom of the corolla; and the inferior labium of it is fixed to the stylus. There are four species of the arethusa, all natives of America, except the capensis, which is only found at the Cape of Good Hope.

ARETOLOGI, in antiquity, a sort of philosophers, chiefly of the Cynic or Stoic tribe, who, having no school or disciples of their own, haunted the tables of great men, and entertained them in their banquets with disputations on virtue, vice, and other popular topics. These are sometimes also denominated Circulares Philosophi. In this sense, the word is derived from the Greek ἀρετή, virtue, and ἀρετολόγος, discurser. Some authors choose to derive the word from ἀρετής, gratius, agreeable; and define Aretologi, by persons who strive to divert and entertain their audience with jokes and pleasant tales; which latter seems the more natural explication.