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GAELIC NAMES OF PLANTS

" I >tu(l_\- to bring forth some acceptable work : not striving to sliew any rare invention that jias.seth a man's capacity, liut to utter and recei\e matter of some moment known and talked of long ago, yet o\er long hath been buried, and, as it seemed, lain dead, for any fruit it hath shewed in the memory of man."— CJiuir/nva/if, 1588.

l^^é^ aá^a^ ^^^^^^^ GAELIC NAMES OE PLANTS '

(SCOTTISH AND IRISH)

COLLECTED AND ARRANGED IN SCIENTIFIC ORDER, WITH

NOTES ON THEIR ETYMOLOGY, THEIR USES, PLANT

SUPERSTITIONS, ETC., AMONG THE CELTS,

WITH COPIOUS GAELIC, ENGLISH,

AND SCIENTIFIC INDICES

JOHN CAMERON

SUNDERLAND

'What's in a name? that which we call a rose By any other name would smell as sweet."

— Shakespeare.

WILLIAM BLACKWOOD AND SONS

EDINBURGH AND LONDON MDCCCLXXXIII

All Rights reserved

30

My

J. BUCHANAN WHITE, M.D., F.L.S.

WHOSE LIFE HAS BEEN DEVOTED TO

NATURAL SCIENXE,

AT WHOSE SUGGESTION THIS

COLLECTION OF GAELIC NAMES OF PLANTS

WAS UNDERTAKEN,

Ojts m.oxk

IS RESPECTFULLY INSCRIBED BY THE AUTHOR.

PREFACE.

The Gaelic Names of Plants, reprinted from a series of articles in the ' Scottish Naturalist,' which have appeared during the last four years, are published at the request of many who wish to have them in a more convenient form. There might, perhaps, be grounds for hesitation in obtrud- ing on the public a work of this description, which can only be of use to comparatively few ; but the fact that no book exists containing a complete catalogue of Gaelic names of plants is at least some excuse for their publication in this separate form. Moreover, it seemed to many able botanists that, both for scientific and philological reasons, it would be very desirable that an attempt should be made to collect such names as are still used in the spoken Gaelic of Scotland and Ireland, before it became too late by the gradual disappearance of the language. Accord- ingly the author undertook this task at the request of the Editor of the * Scottish Naturalist,' Dr Buchanan White, F.L.S. If the difficulties of its accomplishment had been foreseen, he would have hesitated to make the attempt ; as it is, nearly ten years of his life have been occupied in searching through vocabularies, reading Irish and Scot- tish Gaelic, and generally trying to bring into order the confusion to which these names have been reduced partly by the carelessness of the compilers of Dictionaries, and frequently by their botanical ignorance. To accomplish this, numerous journeys had to be undertaken among

Viii rUEFACK.

the Gaelic-speaking populations, in order, if possible, to settle disputed names, to fix the plant to which the name was applied, and to collect others previously vmrecorded. In studying the Gaelic nomenclature of plants, it soon became evident that no collection would be of any value unless the Irish-Gaelic names were incorporated. Indeed, wdien the lists supplied by Alexander M'Donald {Mac- MhaigJister-Alastair), published in his vocabulary in 1741, are examined, they are found to correspond with those in much older vocabularies published in Ireland. The same remark applies, with a few exceptions, to the names of plants in Gaelic supplied b)^ the Rev. Mr Stewart of Killin, given in Lightfoot's ' Flora Scotica.' Undoubtedly, the older names have been preserved in the more copious Celtic literature of Ireland ; it is certainly true that "/// vetustá Hiberìiicà fiDidavicntiivi habct." The investiga- tions of Professor O' Curry, O'Donovan, and others, have thrown much light on this as well as upon many other Celtic topics. The Irish names are therefore included, and spelt according to the various methods adopted by the different authorities; this gi\'es the appearance of a want of uniformity to the spelling not altogether agree- able to Gaelic scholars, but which, under the circum- stances, was unavoidable.

It was absolutely essential that the existing Gaelic names should be assigned correctly. The difficulty of the ordinary botanical student was here reversed : he has the plant but cannot tell the name — here the name existed, but the plant required to be found to which the name applied. Again, names had been altered from their original form by transcription and pronunciation ; it became a matter of difiiculty to determine the I'oot word. However, the recent progress of philology, the knowledge of the laws that govern the modifications of words in the brotherhood of European languages, when applied to these names, rendered the explanation given not alto- gether improbable. Celts named plants often from (i), their uses ; (2), their appearance ; (3), their habitats ; (4),

PREFACE. IX

their superstitious associations, &c. The knowledge of this habit of naming was the key that opened many a difficulty.

For the sake of comparison a number of Welsh names is given, selected from the oldest list of names obtainable. — those appended to Gerard's 'Herbalist,' 1597.

The author cannot sufficiently express his obligation to numerous correspondents in the Highlands and in Ireland for assistance in gathering local names ; without such help it would have been impossible to make a com- plete collection. Notably the Rev. A. Stewart, Nether Lochaber, whose knowledge of natural histor}' is unsur- passed in his own sphere ; the Very Rev. Canon Bourke, Claremorris, who gave most valuable assistance in the Irish names, particularly in the etymology of many ab- struse terms, his accurate scholarship, Celtic and classical, helping him over many a difficulty; Mr W. Brockie, an excellent botanist and philologist, who some years ago made a collection of Gaelic names of plants w^hich was unfortunately destro}'ed, placed at the author's disposal valuable notes and information relative to this subject ; and lastly, the accomplished Editor of the ' Scottish Naturalist,' who, from its commencement, edited the sheets and secured the correct scientific order of the whole.

With every desire to make this work as free from errors as possible, yet, doubtless, some have escaped attention ; therefore, any names omitted, any mistake in the naming of the plants, or any other fact tending towards the fur- ther elucidation of this subject will be thankfully received for future addition, correction, or amendment.

JOHN CAMERON.

THE GAELIC NAMES OF PLANTS.

Ranunculacete. Thalictrum — {OaXXoj, thallo, to grow green).

Gaelic: rus:h. rii, ruis;h, ) -r, / i ^ , ,• r, .

-J- . , ^ .,^ ' ' \ -^"^ (or plants resembling y?///iz

graveolens). See Gerard.

T. alpinum. — Rú ailpeach : Alpine meadow-rue.

T. minus. — Jííí beg : Lesser meadow-rue. Rue is nearly the same in most of the ancient languages ; said to be from puw, to flow ; Gaelic — ruiih, flow, rush ; their roots, especially T. flaviim, possessing powerful cathartic qualities like rhubarb. Compare also ru, rtin, a secret, mystery, love, desire, grace. Welsh : runa, hieroglyphics (Runic). The Thalictrum of Pliny is supposed to be the meadow-rue. (See Freund's Lexicon.)

" I'll set a bank of rue, sour herb of grace" — Shakespeare. " Mo rhii geal og ! " — My fair young beloz'ed one ! " Oir a ta sibh a toirt deachaimh 'a mionnt, agus a rfi, agiis gach uile ghnè luibhean." — For ye tithe mint and rue, and all manner of herbs.

The Rue of Shakespeare is generally supposed to be Ruia graveolens {Rii g/iaraid/i), a plant belonging to another order, and not indigenous.

Anemone nemorosa— Wind-flower. Gaelic : plùr na gaoit/ie, wind-flower (Armstrong). Welsh : l/ysiau'r gwy?it, wind-flower, because some, of the species prefer windy habitats. Irish : 7}ead c/iail/each, old woman's nest.

Ranunculus. — From Gaelic, ran; Egyptian, ranah ; Latin, rana, a frog, because some of the species inhabit humid places frequented by that animal, or because some of the plants have leaves resembling in shape a frog's foot. Ranunculus is also

sometimes called crowfoot. Gaelic : cearban, raggy, from its divided leaves. Gair-cean, — from gair, a smile ; cean, love, ele- gance. Welsh : crafra?jge y /ran, crows' claws.

R, aquatilis — Water crowfoot. Gaelic : flean7i nisge, probably from lean, to follow, and uisge, water, follower of the water. Llofi na h'aibhne, the river-flax. Irish : ftcul ìnsge,—neìil, a star, and uisge, water. Tuir chis, — Mr, a lord ; chis, purse (from its numerous achenes).

R. ficaria — Lesser celandine. Gaelic : grain-aigein, that which produces loathing. Searraichc, a little bottle, from the form of the roots. Welsh : toddedig wen, fire dissolvent ; toddi, melt, dissolve.

R. flammula — Spearwort. Gaelic: glas-leuu, — glas, green; leun, a swamp. Lasair-kana, — iasair, a flame, and leana or ku?i, a swamp, a spear. Welsh : blaer y guae7v, lance-point.

R. auricomus — Goldilocks. Gaelic : follasgain ; probably from follais, conspicuous. Irish : foloscain, a tadpole. The Gaelic may be a corruption from the Irish, or vice versa ; also gniag Mhuire, Mary's locks.

R. repens — Creeping crowfoot. Gaelic : buigheag, the yellow one. Irish : bairgi/i, more frequently bairg/iiii, a pilgrim's habit. Fearban ,^carba, killing, destroying.

R. acris — Upright meadow crowfoot. Gaelic : cearban feoir, the grass rag. Irish : the same name. This plant and R. flam- mula are used in the Highlands, applied in rags {cearban), for raising blisters.

R. bulbosus — Bulbous crowfoot. Gaelic : fuile thalinJiainn, blood of the earth (it exhausts the soil). Welsh : crafaiige y /ran, crows' claws.

R. sceleratus — Celery-leaved crowfoot. Gaelic and Irish : torachas biadJiaiu ; probably means food of which one would be ofraid.

Caltha palustris — Marsh-marigold. Gaelic : a chorrach shod, the clumsy one of the marsh. Lus bJuiidhe bealtuinn, the yellow plant of Beltane or May, — Bel or Baal, the sun-god, and teine, fire. The name survives in many Gaelic names — e.g., Tiillibcliane, the high place of the fire of Baal.

" Beath a's calltuinn latha-fc?/////»';?;;."— M'Kay. Birch and hazel first day of May.

Irish : plubairsin from pjuhracii, plunging. Lits Afairi, Mary- wort, Marygold.

Helleborus viridis — Green hellebore. Gaelic : elehor, a corruption of helleborus (from the Greek eXciv, /lelein, to cause death ; and fiopa, bofa, food — poisonous food).

" Mo shròn tha stocpt à dhVZí/w-." — M 'Donald. My nose is stopped with hellebore.

H. fcetidus — Stinking hellebore. Meacan sleiblie, the hill- plant.

Aquilegia vulgaris — Columbine. Gaelic : las a eholamain, the dove's plant. Irish : crnba-leisin, — from cruba, crouching, and leise, thigh or haunch ; suggested by the form of the flower. Liisan cholain (O'Reilly), pigeon's flower. Welsh : trocd y glovien, naked woman's foot.

Aconitum napellus — Monkshood. Gaelic : fuath inhadhaidh (Shaw), the wolf's aversion. Curaichd mhànaich (Armstrong), monkshood. Welsh : bleiddag, — from bleidd, a wolf, and tag, choke.

Nigella damascena — Chase-the-devil. Gaelic : liis an f/iog- raidh, the pursued plant. Irish : his vihic Raonail, MacRonald's wort. Not indigenous, but common in gardens.

Paeonia officinalis— Peony. Gaelic : Ins a phione. A corrup- tion of Pcson, the physician who first used it in medicine, and cured Plato of a wound inflicted by Hercules. Welsh : bladeitr brcfiin, the king's flower. Irish ; lus phoinc.

BERBERIDACE.i.

Berberis vulgaris — Barberr>'. Gaelic : barbrag (a corruption from Phimician word barar), the brilliancy of a shell; allud- ing to their shining leaves. Greek (SepftepL, berberi, a shell. Preas nan gear dhearc, the sour berry-bush. Preas deilgneach, the prickly bush. Irish : barbrog.

Nymph.ìace^,. (From wiK^t], nymphe, a water-nymph, referring to their habitats.) Nymphaea alba— White water-lil}\ Gaelic : duileag bhaite bliàn, the drowned white leaf

" Feur lochain is tachair, An cinn an ditikag bhàitc.^'—'SVlyi'VY's.'E.. Water, grass, and algae, Where the water-lily grows.

" O ////, righ nam fleuran."—M 'Donald. O lilv, king of flowers.

Rabhagach, giving caution or warning ; a beacon. Lili b/iàu, white lily. Welsh : Lili-r-dwff, water-lily. Irish : buillite. (Shaw.) Nuphar luteum — Yellow water-lily. Gaelic: duileag bhaite bhuidhe, the yellow drowned leaf. Lili bhuidhe n'uisge, yellow water-lily, Irish : Hack laghor, the bright flag. Cabhan ab/iai/i, — cabhan, a hollow plain, and abhain, of the river.

Papaverace.í;. Papaver rhcEas — Poppy. Gaelic : jueilbhcag^ sometimes beilbheag, a little pestle (to which the capsule has some resem- blance).

" Le meilbheag, le noinean, 's le slan-lus. " — M'Leod. With a poppy, daisy, and rib-tjiass.

Fot/iros, corn-rose, — from ioth (Irish), corn ; ros, rose. Croiidus, bent weed. Paipcan ruadh, — fiiadh, red, and paipean a corrup- tion of papaver^ from papa^ pap, or pappo, to eat of pap. The juice was formerly put into children's food to make them sleep. Welsh : pabi.

P. somniferum — Common opium poppy. Gaelic : codalian, from codal or cada/, sleep.

Chelidonium majus. Common celandine (a corruption of XeXtSojF, f/itiidon, a swallow). Gaelic : an ceaim riiadh^ the red head. Irish : lacha cheann ruadh, the red - headed duck. Welsh : llysie y wetmol, swallow-wort. The flower is yellow, not red. Aonsgoch is another Gaelic name for swallow-wort, mean- ing the lonely flower, — aon, one or alone, and sgoth^ a flower.

Glaucium luteum — Yellow horned poppy. Gaelic : barrag ruadh (?), the valiant or strong head. The flower is yellow, not red.

FUiMARIACE^.

(From /umus, smoke. " The smoke of these plants being said by the ancient exorcists to have the power of expelling evil spirits " (Jones). French : fume terre.)

Fumaria officinalis — Fumitory. Gaelic : lus deathach thal- mhaiiin (Armstrong), the earth -smoke plant. Irish: deatach thalmhuiii (O'Reilly), earth - smoke. Welsh : imog y ddaer, earth-smoke. Another Irish name is camaii scarraigh (O'Reilly), — caman, crooked, and scoradh, to scatter.

^ Ruadh does not mean absolutely red, but reddish. Welsh : Rhydh. It means also power, virtue, strong, valiant.

Crucifer^.

(From Latin crux, criicis, a cross, and fero, to bear, the petals being arranged crosswise.)

Crambe maritima — Seakale. Gaelic : praiseag tràg/ia, the shore pot-herb, — from the Irish praiseach, Gaelic praiseag, a little pot (a common name for pot-herbs). Càl na viàra, sea- kale (from Greek, ^^avAos; Latin, caulis ; German, /iv/;/; Saxon, cawl ; English, cole or kale ; Irish, càl ; Welsh, cawl.)

Isatis tinctoria — Woad. The ancient Celts used to stain their bodies with a preparation from this plant. Its pale-blue hue was supposed to enhance their beauty, according to the fashion of the time. Gaelic : guirmean, the blue one. Irish and Gaelic : glas his, pale-blue weed. Welsh : glas lys. For- merly called Glastum.

" Is glas mo luibh."— OSSIAN. Pale-blue is the subject of my praise.

On account of the brightness of its manufactured colours the Celts called it gived {giicde in French to this day), whence the Saxon 7uad and the English woad.

Thlaspi arvense — Penny-cress. Gaelic : praiseach fcidh, deer's pot-herb. Irish : preaseach fiadh, a deer's pot-herb.

Capsella Bursa-pastoris — Shepherd's purse. Gaelic : his mi fola, the blood-weed ; an sporran, the purse. Irish : sraidin, a lane, a walk, Welsh : purs y bugail, shepherd's purse (bugail, from Greek (SvkoXo';, a shepherd).

Cochlearia officinalis — Scurvy -grass. Gaelic: a inaraich, sailor; carran, the thing for scurvy, possessing antiscorbutic properties. ^'' Plaigh na cajra," the plague of leprosy (Stuart). " Duine aig am bheil can;'' a man who has the scurvy (Stuart in Lev.) Welsh : mor luyau, sea-spoons ; llysier bhvg, scurvy- grass (from bhvg, scurvy). Irish : biolair tràgha, — biolair, dainty, and Iràgha, shore or seaside.

Armoracia rusticana {armoracia, a name of Celtic origin, — from ar, land ; iuor or mar, the sea ; ris, near to, — a plant growing near the sea). English : horse-radish. Gaelic : meacan-each, the horse-plant. Irish : racadal, perhaps from an old word rac, a king, a prince, and adhal, desire — i.e., the king's desire.

Raphanus raphanistrum — Radish. Gaelic : meacan ruadh, tlie reddish plant, from the colour of the root. Irish : fiadh roidis, wild radish.

Cardamine pratensis— Cuckoo flower, ladies' smock. Gaelic : plur na cubhaig, the cuckoo-flower. Gleoran, from gkote, hand- some, pretty. The name is given to other cresses as well. Biolair-gliriagaiu, the bright sunny dainty.

Cakile maritimum — Sea gilly-flower rocket. Gaelic : fearsaid- eag; meaning uncertain, but probably from Irish saide, a seat (Latin, sedes), the sitting individual — from its procumbent habit.

Nasturtium officinalis — Water-cress. Gaelic, biolair, a dainty, or that which causes the nose to smart, hence agreeing with nasturiium (Latin : riasus, the nose, and tortus, tormented). Dur- lus, — dur, water, and lus, plant. Dobhar-Iiis, — dohhar, water. Welsh : benvyr dtufr, Avater-cress. The Gaelic and Irish bards used these names indefinitely for all cresses.

' ' Sa bhiolair luidneach, shliòm-chluasach. Glas, chruinn-cheannach, chaoin ghorm-neaIach|; Is i fas glan, uchd-ard, gilmeineach, Fuidh barr geal iomlan, sonraichte." — M'Intyre.

Its drooping, smooth, green, i-ound-leaved water-cress growing so radiantly, breast-high, trimly; under its remarkably perfect white flower. ^' Dobhrach bhallach mhin." — M'Intyre. Smooth-spotted water-cress.

Sisymbrium sophia — Flixweed. Gaelic : ftieal Mhi/ire, the Virgin Mary's fennel. Welsh : piblys, pipe-weed.

Erysimum alliaria — Garlic mustard, sauce alone. Gaelic : garhiiraithcach, rough, threatening.

Cheiranthus cheiri — Wallflower, gilly-flower. Gaelic : lus leth an saui/iraid/i, half the summer plant. Irish : the same. Welsh : blodeii gorphenaf, July flower or gilly-flower. Wedgwood says gilly-flower is from the French girojlèe.

Brassica rapa — Common turnip. Gaelic, neup ; Irish, neip ; Welsh, maipen ; Scotch, neep (and /lavcw, French, navet) ; corruptions from Latin napus.

B. campestris — Wild navew. Gaelic : neup fiadJiain, wild turnip.

B. oleracea^Seakale or cabbage. Gaelic and Irish : praiseach bhaidhe, the pot-herb of the wave {baid/ie, in Irish, a wave. Morran, — mor (Welsh), the sea, its habitat the seaside. Cal colbhairt — the kale with stout fleshy stalks (from colbh, a stalk of a plant, and art, flesh), cal or cadhal. Welsh : cawl, kale. Gaelic: cál-cearslach {cearslach, globular), cabbage; cal gruidhean (with grain like flowers), cauliflower ; colag (a little cabbage), cauliflower; garad/i càil, a kitchen-garden.

" Dh' itheadh biolair an fhuarain

'S air bu shuarach an càl. " — M'Doxald. I would eat the cress of the wells.

Compared to it, kale is contemptible.

Sinapis arvensis — Charlock, wild mustard. Gaelic : marag b/ijiidhe, the yellow sausage (to which the pod is supposed to bear some resemblance). Sceallan, — sceall, a shield. Sgealag (Shaw), — sgealpach, biting. Mustard, from the English.

" Mar ghrainne de shlol miistaird." — Stuart. Like a grain of mustard-seed.

Gaelic : praiseach garbh, the rough pot-herb.

Resedace.í:.

Keseda luteola — Weld, yellow weed. Gaelic : /us huidhe mor, the large yellow weed. Irish : buidhe mor. the large yellow. ^Velsh : llysie lliu, dye-wort. Reseda, from Latin resedo. Gaelic : reidh, to calm, to appease.

CiSTACE/E.

(From Greek Kto-rr;, kiste, a box or capsule, from their peculiar capsules. Latin, cista ; Gaelic, ciste ; Danish, kiste.)

Helianthemum vtilgare — Rock-rose. Gaelic : grian 7'òs, sun- rose ; plùr ua griiue, flower of the sun (also heliotrope). Welsh : biodaior haul, sun-flower.

Violace.í:.

(From Greek lov, ion, a violet, — the food given to the cow To, one of Jupiter's mistresses.)

Viola odorata — Sweet violet. Gaelic : fail chuac/i, scented bowl ; fail, scent, and cuach, a bowl hollow as a nest. Scotcli : qitaich, cogie (dim.), a drinking-cup.

" Fail chiiachaig zx uachdar a flieoir." — M'Farlaxe. Scented violet on the top of the grass.

V. canina — Dog-violet. Gaelic : dail chuach, field-bowl {fail, a field). Danish : dal, a valley.

" Gun sobhrach gun dail chuacli, Gun lus uasal air càrnn." — M'lxTVRE. Without primrose or violet, Or a gay flower on the heap.

Sail c/iitac/i, — sail, a heel (from its spur).

" Coille is guirme sail chuac/i.^—Ola Song. A wood where violets are bluest.

Irish : biodh a leithid, the world's paragon ; also fanaisge, pro- bably from fan, weak, faint, agreeing in meaning with the Welsh name, criiillyns, a fragile weed.

Droserace.í:. (From Greek Spoo-epo?, droseros, dewy, because the plants appear as if covered with dew.)

Drosera rotundifolia — Round-leaved sundew. Gaelic : ros an Psolais, sun-rose or flower ; geald-rnidhc or dealt riiaidhe, very red dew; lus na fearnaich, the plant with shields (its leaves have some resemblance to shields). Irish : cil druich {eil, to rob, and drnich, dew), the one that robs the dew; druichdin mona, the dew of the hill. Welsh : doddedig rudd, — dod, twisted thread, and fudd, red, the plant being covered with red hairs.

POLYGALACE^.

(From Greek -nokv, poly, much, and yaXa, gala, milk.)

Polygala vulgaris — Milkwort. Gaelic : lus a b/idine, milk- wort. Irish : lusan baine, the same meaning, alluding to the reputed effects of the plants on cows that feed upon it.

Carvophvllace^. Saponaria officinalis — Soapwort, bruisewort. Gaelic : gairgean- cregach. Irish : gairbhin creugach, the bitter one of the rocks ; garb/lion, bitterness, and creugach, rocky. The whole plant is bit- ter, and was formerly used to cure cutaneous diseases. Lus an shiabunn, the soapwort. Welsh : scbonllys, the same meaning {sebon, soap), Latin sapo, so called probably because the bruised leaves produce lather like soap. Soap was a Celtic invention.

" Prodest et sapo. Gallorum hoc inventum, Rutilandis capillis, ex sevo et cinere. " — Pliny.

Lychnis flos-cuculi— Ragged robin. Gaelic : ////;- jia cubhaig, the cuckoo flower ; curachd na cubhaig, the cuckoo's hood.

L. diurna — Red campion. Gaelic : clrean coileach, cockscomb ; in some places corcan coille, red woodland flower.

L. githago — Corn-cockle. Gaelic : brogna cubhaig, the cuckoo's

shoe. Liiibh laoibheach, — laoi^ day, and beac/id, to observe — i e., the plant observed for a day. Irish : cogall^ from coch (Welsh), red ; hence cockle. French : coqiiille. Welsh : gíth^ cockle or its seed, a corruption from githago, or vice versa.

Spergula arvensis — Spurrey. Gaelic : cluain li/i, — cluain, fraud, and //;/, flax — i.e., fraudulous flax. Carran, twisted or knotted. Scotch : yarr. Irish : cabrois, — cab, a head ; rois, polished.

"Gun deanntag, gun charran." — M 'Donald. Without nettle or spurrey.

Arenaria alsine — Sandwort. Gaelic : flige, perhaps from fliche, water, growing in watery or sandy places.

Stellaria media — Chickweed. Gaelic : fliodJi, an excrescence (Armstrong), sometimes written fiitth. Irish : lia, wetting (Gaelic : fluich, wet) ; compare also flocJi, soft (Latin : fiaccus). Welsh : giclydd, the soft or tender plant.

S. Holostea — The greater stitchwort. Gaelic : /iiirseach, sad, dejected. Irish : tursarrain, the same meaning ; and Stellaria graminea, kirsat-ranin, the lesser stitchwort. Welsh : y wenn- wlydd, the fair soft-stemmed plant, from givenn and giolydd, soft tender stem.

Cherleria sedoides — Mossy cyphel, found plentifully on Ben Lawers. No Gaelic name, but seorsa coinich, a kind of moss.

Cerastium alpinum — Mouse-ear chickweed. Gaelic : cluas an Inch, mouse-ear.

LiNACE/E.

Linum usitatissimum — Flax. Gaelic : Don, gen. singular ////. Welsh : llin. " Greek \ivov and Latin //////;//, a thread, are derived from the Celtic." — Loudon.

" larraidh i olan agus lion." — Stuart (Job). She will desire wool and flax.

L. catharticum — Fairy flax. Gaelic : lion na bean slth, fairy woman's flax ; iniosach, monthly, from a medicinal virtue it was supposed to possess ; viionach, bowels ; Ins caolach, slender weed : compare also caolan, intestine (Latin : colon, the large intestine). Both names probably allude to its catfiartic effects. Stuart, in Lightfoot's ' Flora,' gives these names in a combined form, — an caol miosachan, the slender monthly one. Irish : ceo- lag/i.

^ This plant is sometimes called Citrach ita Cubhaig, and Cochal — (hood or cowl). Latin : cucullus.

B

Malvace^. Latin : inah'CE, mallows. Gaelic : maloimh, from Greek fjiaXáxr], malache, soft, in allusion to the soft mucilaginous pro- perties of the plants.

"A'gearradh sios maloimh laimh lis na preasailih, agus freunilinn aiteil mar bhiadh."— Stuart (Job xxx. 4).

"Who cut up viallcnvs by the bushes, and juniper roots for their meat."

Welsh : meddalai, what softens. Gaelic : -mil mheacan, honey- plant; gropais ox grobais (M'Donald) from QiO\\\\c, groh, English, grub, to dig. The roots were dug, and boiled to obtain mucilage.

Malva rotundifolia — Dwarf mallow. Gaelic and Irish : ncax frangac/i, — ucas {vom Irish i/c, need, whence iic/id, a breast (Greek, ox^v) — t^''^ mucilage being used as an emollient for breasts — O-náfrangach, French — i.e., the French mallow.

M. sylvestris — Common mallow. Gaelic : ucas fJwadhair, wild mallow.

Althaea officinalis — Marsh-mallow. Gaelic and Irish : leamhad, perhaps from leaiiihach, insipid ; fochas, itch, a remedy for the itch {ochas, itch). Welsh : morhocys, — mor, the sea, and hocys, phlegm- producer, it being used for various pulmonary complaints.

TlIJACE^,.

Tilia europea — Lime-tree, linden. Gaelic : craobh theile. Irish : craim telle, — teile, a corruption from tilia. Welsh : pis ^i;7ciydden.

Hypericacete. Hypericum perforatum — The perforated St John's wort. Gaelic and Irish : eaia bJitddhe (sometimes written eala b/ii), pro- bably from ca/ (for neul), aspect, appearance, and bkuidhe or bhi, yellow.

" An eala bhitidhc s'an noinean lìàn S'an t'sobhrach an gleann fas, nan luibli Anns am faigheadh an leighe Hath Furtach fiach, do chreuch a's leòn." — Coi.lath. In the glen where the St John's -wort, the white daisy, and the primrose grow, the grey doctor will find a valuable remedy for every disease and ■■-vound.

"The belief was common among the Caledonians that for all the diseases to which mankind is liable there grows an herb some- where, and not far from the locality where the particular disease prevails, the proper application of which would cure it." — M'Kenzie.

" Sobhiacli a's eala bhi 's baira neoinean. " — M'Intyrp:. Primrose, St John's zoort, and daisies.

Alias Mhnire {Mhitire, the Virgin Mary; alias, perhaps another form of the preceding names) — Mary's image, which would agree with the word hypericum. According to Linnaeus it is derived from Greek virip, iiper, over, and dKUv, eikon, an image — that is to say, the superior part of the flower represents an image.

Caod aslachan Cholum chille, from Cohim and cill (church, cell), St Columba's flower, the saint of lona, who reverenced it and carried it in his arms (íTí/í?^,— (Irish) caodam, to come, and aslachan, arms), it being dedicated to his favourite evangelist St John.^ " For- merly it was carried about by the people of Scotland as a charm against witchcraft and enchantment " (Don). \\'elsh : y fcndigaid, the blessed plant. French : la toutc-saine. English : tutsan.

The badge of Clan M'Kinnon.

Acerace.í;. (" Acer, in Latin meaning sharp, from ac, a point, in Celtic." — Du Theis.)

Acer campestris — Common maple. Gaelic and Irish : craohh mhalip or malpais ; origin of name uncertain, but very likely from nial, a satchel or a husk, from the form of its samara. Some think the name is only a corruption of maple — Anglo-Saxon, mapal. Welsh : masarnen. Gothic : masloenn (from mas, fat), from its abundance of saccharine juice.

A. pseudo-platanus — Sycamore. Gaelic and Irish : craohh sice, a corruption from Greek sycaiiiinos. The old botanists errone- ously believed it to be identical with tlie sycamine or mulberry-fig of Palestine.

"Nam biodh agaidh creidimh, theiradh sibh ris a. chraobh shicamin so, bi air do spionadh as do fhreumhaibh." — Stuart.

If ye had faith ye might say to this sycaviore tree, Be thou plucked up by the root. — St Luke xvii. 6.

Craobh pleantrinn, corruption of platanus or plane-tree. Irish : crann ban, white tree. Fir chrann, same meaning. The badge of Clan Oliphant.

V1NIFER.E. Vitis (from the Celtic gioyd, a tree, a shrub. Spanish : vid. French : vigne).

^ Similar ideas occur in other Irish names respecting this plant : Beach- niiadh Colnmcille, beachnuadh beinionn, beackniiadh firionn, — beach, to em- brace; nuadh, new ; heinionu^ a little woman ; firionn,^ a little man.

Vitis vinifera — Vine. Gaelic : craim foua, fionaii. Irish : fion, wine. Greek : foiv-ov. Latin : vin-um. Fiou dcarc, a grape.

Geraniace.í:.

(From Greek ycpavo?, geranos, a crane. Tlie long beak that ter- minates the carpel resembles the bill of a crane ; English : crane- bill. Gaelic : crob priachain (Armstrong), the claw of any rapacious bird.) Lus-gná-ghorm. (M'Kenzie.) Evergreen plant.

Geranium Robertianum — Herb Robert. Gaelic and Irish : riglical cull (from rigJic, reproof, and cuil, fly, gnat, insect), the fly reprover. Riaghal ciiil, also rial chiiil, that which rules insects ; Earbidl righ [earbu/i, a tail).

"Insects are said to avoid it." — Don.

Riddel, the red-haired. Lus an Eallan, the cancer weed. Righeal righ. Irish : righcan righ, that which reproves a king {righ, a king), on account of its strong disagreeable smell. Welsh : trocdrydd, redfoot. Llysie Robert, herb Robert.

G. sanguineum — Bloody cranesbill. Gaelic : creachlach dearg, the red wound -healer {creaeh, a wound). Geranitnn Roberti- amwi and Geranium sanguineum have been and are held in great repute by the Highlanders, on account of their astringent and vulnerary properties.

OXALIDACE^.

(From Greek oet'?, oxys, acid, from the acid taste of the leaves.)

Oxalis acetosella— Wood-sorrel. Gaelic : samh, shelter. It grows in sheltered spots. Also the name given to its capsules. Also summer. It may simply be the summer flower.

" Aig itheach sai/nh," eating sorrel.

Seamrag. Irish : seamrog (shamrock) {seam, mild and gentle), little gentle one. Referring to its appearance.

' ' 'L&seamragan 's le neonainean,

'S'gach lus a dh'fheudain ainmeachadh

Cuir anbharra dhreach boidhchead air." — M'Intvre.

With wood-sorrel and with daisies,

And plants that I could name,

Giving tlic jilace a most beautiful appearance.

Surag, the sour one ; Scotch : sourock (from the Armoric sur, Teutonic suer, sour). Welsh : suran y gog, cuckoo's sorrel.

Gaelic : hiadh nan eoinca?i, birds' food. Irish : billcog nan cun, the leaf of the birds.

"Timcheall thulmanan diàmhair

Ma 'm bi'm biadh-ionain fas." — M 'Donald. Around sheltered hillocks Where the wood-sorrel grows.

Feada coillc, candle of the woods, name given to the flower ; fcad/i, a candle or rush.

" Mar sin is leasachan soilleir, Do à\\^ /heada-coille na'n cos." — M 'Donald. Like the flaming light Of the wood-sorrel of the caverns.

Celastrace^.

Euonymus europseus— Common spindle-tree. Gaelic and Irish : oir,feoras,—oir, the east point, east. " A tir an oir," from the land of the East {Oirip, Europe), being rare in Scotland and Ireland, but common on the Continent. Oir and feoir also mean a border, edge, limit, it being commonly planted in hedges. Whether the name has any reference to these significations it is very difficult to determine with certainty. Oir, the name of the thirteenth letter, O, of the Gaelic and Irish alphabet. It is worthy of notice that all the letters were called after trees or plants :—

	Gaelic.	English.		Gaelic.	English.
A .	Ailm.	Elm.	L .	. Luis.	Quicken.
B .	. Beite.	Birch.	M .	Muir.	Vine.
C .	. Coll.	Hazel.	N .	Nuin.	Ash.
D .	. Dur.	Oak.	0 .	. Oir.	.Spindle-tree
E .	. Eagh.	Aspen.	P .	. Beith.	Bine.
F .	Feani.	Alder.	R .	. Ruis.	Elder.
G .	. Gath.	Ivy.	S .	. Suil.	Willow.
H .	. Huath.	White-thorn.	T .	. Tin.	Heath.
I .	. logh.	Yew.	U .	. Uir.	Whitethorn

Rhamnace/e. Rhamnus (from Gaelic i-anik, Celtic ram, a branch, wood).

" Talamh nan raruh.'^- — OssiAN. The country of woods.

The Greeks changed the word to pá/xi/o? and the Latins to ra/ni/s. R. catharticus — Prickly buckthorn. Gaelic : ranih droighionn, prickly wood. Welsh : rhafiiwydden, — rhaf, to spread; wydd, tree.

Juglans regia — The Walnut. Gaelic : craobh-ghaUchno — gall, a foreigner, a stranger ; cno, a nut.

LeguminifeRíí;.

Gaelic : li/is feid/ileagach, pod-bearing plants. Bar gi/c, papil- ionaceous flowers (Armstrong). For-cochullach, leguminous. ^^ Bar gnc air mheuraibh nosara." — M'Intvre. Blossoms on sappy branches. Sarothamnus scoparius — Broom. Gaelic : bcalaidh or heal- uid/i (probably from bcal, Baal, and i/id/i, favour), the plant that Belus favoured, it being yellow-flowered (see Caltha paliistris). Yellow was the favourite colour of the Druids (who were wor- shippers of Belus), and also of the bards. Ossian describes the sun " grian b/iidd/ie" the yellow sun ; M'Intyre, his Isabel, as

" Iseabel og

An or fhuilt bhuidh."

Young Isabel with the golden-yellow hair.

Irish : bniin ; and Welsh : ysgub. Gaelic : sgiiab, a brush made from the broom. Latin : scoparius. Giolcach slcibhe {glide, a reed, a cane, a leafless twig ; sleibhe, of the hill).

The badge of the Clan Forbes.

Cytisus laburnum — Laburnum. Gaelic: bealuidh fraiigach (in Breadalbane), in some parts sasimach, French or English broom (Ferguson). Fraiigach is very often affixed to names of plants of foreign origin. This tree was introduced from Switzer- land in 1596. Craobh obnin, a corruption of laburnum.

Ulex — Name from the Celtic ec or ac, a prickle (Jones).

U. europaeus — Furze, whin, gorse. Gaelic and Irish : conasg, from Irish co?ias, war, because of its armed or prickly appearance. Welsh : eií/iiji, prickles.

" Lan cojiasgis phreasaibh." — Old Song. Full of furze and bushes. Not common in the Highlands, but plentiful about Fortingall, Perthshire.

Ononis arvensis — Rest - harrow. Gaelic and Irish : srcang bogha, bowstring. ^^■ elsh : tagadr, stop the plough ; eithin yr eir, ground prickles. Scotch : camiiiock, from Gaelic cam, crooked.

Trigonella ornithopodioides — Fenugreek, Greek hay. Gaelic : ioiintag-grcugach (Armstrong), Greek nettle ; crubh-eoln, Birds' shoe. Welsh : y grog-wryan.

Trifolium repens — White or Dutch clover. Gaelic and Irish:

seamar b/iàn, the fair gentle one (see Oxa/i's) ; written also sameir, sio?nrag, seamrag, seamrog. Wood-sorrel and clover are often con- founded, but seamar bhàn is invariable for white clover, and for Trifolium procumbens, hop trefoil, samhrag bhuidhc^ yellow clover.

" Gach saitneir neonean 's masag." — M 'Donald. Every clover, daisy, and berry.

"An t-seamrag mxiQ 's barr-gheal gruag, A's buidheann chuachach neoinein." — M'Lachuinn. The green white-headed clover. The yellow-cupped daisy.

The badge of Clan Sinclair.

T. pratense — Red clover. Gaelic : seamar chapuíll^ the mare's clover. CapiiU, from Greek KaySaAX-/;?, a work-horse. Latin : caballiis, a horse. Tri-bilean, trefoil, three -leaved. Welsh: tairdaien, the same meaning. Meillonem, honey wort, from mel, honey. Gaelic : sùgag, Scotch sookie, the bloom of clover, so called because it contains honey, and children suck it,

T. minus — Small yellow clover. Gaelic : seangau, small, slender.

T. arvense — Hare's-foot clover. Gaelic : cas maidhiche (Arm- strong), hare's foot.

Lotus corniculata — Bird's-foot trefoil. Gaelic : barra miiis-

lean, — barra, top or flower ; mislean, anything that springs or

grows.

" Glacag w/i/i-iiwrtf/?."— Macfarlane.

A grassy dell.

Anthyllis vulneraria — Kidney vetch, or Lady's Fingers. Gaelic : mcoir Mhuire, Mary's fingers ; cas an uai?i, lamb's foot.

Vicia^ sativa — Vetch. Gaelic and Irish : fiatghal, nutritious (from \x\u\fiadh, now written biadh, food) ; peasair fiadhain, wild pease ; peasair chapuill, mares' pease. Welsh : idhys, edible pease. Irish : pis fcadhain, wild pease ; pis dubh, black peas.

v. cracca — Tufted vetch. Gaelic : pesair nan Inch, mice pease ; /d-i-iz/r (Latin, pisiim ; Welsh, /_ví; French, pois, pease), are all from the Celtic root pis, a pea.

V. sepium — Bush vetch. Gaelic : peasair nam prcas, the bush peas.

LathyTus pratensis — Yellow vetchling. Gaelic : peasair bhuidhe, yellow peas. Irish : pis b/iindhe, yellow peas.

1 Vicia (from givig, Celtic, whence Greek fiiKiov, Latin 7-ida, French vesce, English i'í'/í-/^.— Loudon.

i6

Ervum hirsutum — Hairy vetch or tare (from err, Celtic — an', Latin, tilled land). Gaelic : peasairan arhhar, corn peas. Welsh : pysen y ceirch, — cehxh, oats. Gaelic : gall pheasair, a name for lentils or vetch. Gall, sometimes prefixed to names of plants having lowland habitats, or strangers.

" Lan ào ghall pht-asair." — Stuart, 2 Sam. Full oflen tils.

Faba vulgaris — Bean. Gaelic : ponair. Irish : poneir. Cor- nish : ponar {from the Hebrew ^ì:, picl, a bean (Levi). Gaelic : ponair fratigach, French beans ; ponair airneach, kidney beans ; ponair chapiiill, buckbean {Menyanthes trifoliata).

" Gabh thugad fòs cruithneachd agus eorna, 2iga% ponair, agus peasair, agus meanbh-pheasair, agus pcasair fhiadhain, agus cuir iad ann an aon soitheach, agi.is dean duit fèin aran duibh." — Stuart, Ezekiel iv. 9.

"Take thou also unto thee wheat, and barley, and beans, and lentiles, and millet, and fitches, and put them in one vessel, and make thee bread thereof."

Orobus tuberosus — Tuberous bitter vetch (from Greek, opui, oro, to excite, to strengthen, and ftaix;, an ox). Gaelic and Irish : rrt'/rwm/ (Armstrong), — m/>, dig; wíí?/, enjoy; 3.\so mall; Welsh: 7>ioel, a knob, a tuber — i.e., the tuberous root that is dug ; con-a- vieille (M'Leod and Dewar).

" Is clann bheag a trusa leolaicheann ^ Buain corr an go's nam bruachagan." — M'Intvre. Little children gathering . . . And digging the bitter vetch from the holes in the bank.

Corra, a crane, and ineillg, a pod, the crane's pod or peas. Welsh : pys y garanod, crane's peas ; garan, a crane. " The Highlanders have a great esteem for the tubercles of the roots ; they dry and chew them to give a better relish to their whisky. They also affirm that they are good against most diseases of the thorax, and that by the use of them they are enabled to repel hunger and thirst for a long time. In Breadalbane and Ross-shire they sometimes bruise and steep them in water, and make an agreeable fermented liquor with them, called cainn. They have a sweet taste, something like the roots of liquorice, and when boiled are well flavoured and nutritive, and in times of scarcity have served as a substitute for bread " (Lightfoot).

^ Leolaicheanu, probably TrolUtis eicropaits (the globe flower), from 01, blachan, drink, drinking. Children frequently use the globe flower as a drinking-cup. Scotch : higgle gcnuan, Liiggie, a small wooden dish ; or it may be a corruption from trol or trollen, an old German word signifying round, in allusion to the form of the flower, hence Trollius.

17

Rosacea.

(From the Celtic. Gaelic, ;w; Welsh, rhos ; Armoric, roscn ; Greek, poSov : Latin, 7vsa.)

Prunus spinosa — Blackthorn, sloe. Gaelic : /tc'cjs nan air- ncag, the sloe bush. Irish : airne, a sloe.

" Siiilean air lidh airneag." — Ross. Eyes the colour of sloes.

Sgitheach dilbh, — tlie word sgith ordinarily means weary, but it means also (in Irish) fear; diibJi, black, the fearful black one, but probably iit this case it is a form of sgeach} a haw (the fruit of the white thorn), the black haw. Welsh : eiriuen ddii, the black plum ; eiryn, a plum.

" Grim sgitheach an aite criin righ. — M'Ellar. A crown of thorns instead of a royal crown.

Droighionn dnb/i, the black penetrator (from driiid, to penetrate, pierce, bore). Compare Gothic, ////7/ //«- ; Sanscrit, /////; Latin, trif ; Welsh, draen ; German, dorn ; English, tJioiii.

"Croin droigìiìch 'on ear's o'niar."- — Old Poem. Thorn-trees on either side.

P. damascena — Damson. Gaelic and Irish : daiiusin (corrup- tion).

P. insititia — Bullace. Gaelic and Irish : biilastair. Com- pare Breton, bolos ; Welsh, biolas, sloes.

P. domestica — Wild plum. Gaelic : plmnbais fiadhainn, wild plum ; pluiubais scargta^ prunes. Latin : pi-uuuvi.

P. armeniaca — Apricot. Gaelic : apricoc. Welsh : bricyllcn. Regnier supposes from the Arabic berkoch, whence the Italian albicocco, and the English apricot ; or, as Professor Martj'n observes, a tree when first introduced might have been called a "praecox," or early fruit, and gardeners taking the article " a" for the first syllable of the word, might easily have corrupted it to apricots.

P. cerasus — Cherry-tree. Gaelic : craobh shiris, a corruption of Cerasus, a town in Pontus in Asia, from whence the tree was first brought.

" Do bheul mar t' sin's." Thy mouth like the cherry.

Welsh : cciriosen.

1 Sscach, also a busli.

i8

P. padus — Bird cherry. Gaelic : craobh f/iiodhag, from Jiodh, wood, timber • fiodhach, a shrubbery.

P. avium — Wild cherry. Gaelic : gea/iais, the gean. French : g!/ig/ie, from a German root.

Amydalus communis— Almond. Gaelic : amo/i, ciio ghrcugach, Greek nut.

A. persica — Peach. Gaelic : pcitseag, from the English.

Spiraea ulmaria — Meadow - sweet, queen of the meadow. Gaelic : crios (or cneas) Chu-chidainny The plant called " My lady's belt" (M'Kenzie). "A flower mentioned by M'Donald in his poem '■Alt an t-siucair' \v\\\\ the English of which I am not acquainted" (Armstrong).

It is not mentioned in the poem referred to, but in " Oran an't Sain/iraid/i " — The Summer Song.

" S'ciiraiclli faileadh do mhuineil

A chrios-Chh-Chiilaiiin nan cam ! Na d' chruinn bliabaidean riabhach,

Lòineach, fhad luirgneach, sgiamhacli. Na d' thuim ghiobagach, dreach mliin,

Bharr-bhiudhe, chasurlaich, àird; Timcheall thulmanan diamhair Ma'ni bi 'm biadh-ionain a fà.s. " — M'Donald.

Sweetly scented thy wreath, Meadcnv-nveet of the cairns ! In round brindled chisters, And softly fringed tresses, Beautiful, tall, and graceful. Creamy flowered, ringleted, high ; Around sheltered hillocks Where the wood-sorrel grows.

Welsh : llysiii'r fonoyn, the maiden's flower.

S. filipendula — Dropwort. Gaelic and Irish : greahan — prob- ably from greadh, to prepare food.

" A g)vad na cuilm." — OssiAN. Preparing the feast.

Linnaeus informs us that, " in a scarcity of corn the tubers have been eaten by men instead of food." Or from greach, a nut. Welsh : crogcdyf, — crogi, to suspend. The tuberous roots are sus- pended on filaments; hence the namQ?, Jilipcndu/a and dropivort.

^ CÙ chullin's belt. Ciichullin was tlie most famous champion of the Ulster militia in the old Milesian times. He lived at the dawn of the Christian era. He was so called from Cu, a hound, and Ulliii, the name of the province. Many stories are still extant regarding him.

Geum rivale — Water avens.^ Gaelic: machall iiisge ; in Irish : viacha, a head, and all^ all — />., allhead — the flower being large in proportion to the plant. Uisge, water. It grows in moist places only.

G. urbanum — Common avens. Gaelic : niachall coillc, — coillc, wood, where it generally grows.

Dryas octopetala— White dryas. Gaelic : machall moiiaidh, the large-flowered mountain plant. (The name was given by an old man in Killin from a specimen from Ben Lawers in 1870.)

Potentilla anserina — Silverweed, white tansy. Gaelic : bris- gean (written also briosglan, brisleaii)^ from briosg or brisg, brittle. Brisgean milis, sweet bread. " The brisgean, or wild skirret, is a succulent root not unfrequently used by the poorer people in some parts of the Highlands for bread" (Armstrong).

The skirret (see Siu/n siscifum) is not native. The plant here alluded to is Potentilla anserma. Bar b/irisgea/i^ the flower. Welsh : torllwydd, from tori, to break.

P. reptans — Cinquefoil. Gaelic : meangach, branched or twigged, — mea/ig, a branch; because of its runners, its long leaf, and flower-stalks. C/iig bhileac/i, five-leaved. Irish : cuig mhear M/iitire, Mary's five fingers. Welsh : blysiiir pump, same meaning.

P. tormentilla — Common potentil, or tormentil. Gaelic : leanartach (from leanar, passive of verb lean, to follow). So common on the hills that it seems to follow one everywhere. Bàrr braonan-nan-con, the dogs' briar bud. Braonan fraoch {fj-aoch, heather). Braonan, the bud of a briar (Armstrong). Braonan bachlag, the earth-nut (i)///////'/>'/y/tvv//i-'j7///^) (M'Donald), from braon, a drop.

" Min-fheur chaorach is bàrra-bhraonaii." ■ — M'iNTYRE. Soft sheep grass and the flower of the tormentil.

Irish : neamhnaid, a pearl (in Gaelic : ncoiiaid). A\'elsh : tresgl y vioch.

Comarum palustre — Marsh cinquefoil. Gaelic : cuig bhileacii uisge, the water five-leaved plant.

Fragaria vesca — Wood strawberry. Gaelic: snbh (or siith)

1 Avens, a river, from the CeUic an. Welsh : az'on. GaeUc : ahJiainn. Many river names in Europe and Asia are derived from this root — e.g., Rhenus, the Rhine — reidh-aii, the placid water. Garumnus, Garonne — garbh-mi, the rough water. Marne— ;««;/>/;-««, the dead water. Seine, a contraction of seinth-an, the smooth water, &c.

thalììihain, the earth's sap, tlie earth's dehght (from siibh or siigh, sap, juice; also dehght, pleasure, joy, mirth); t/ial/ii/iai/i, of tlie earth.

" Theing subh-tkali/ihain nam bruach."— M'Uonald. The wild strawberries of the bank are done.

Snl>/ia/i /aire, the ground sap; t/achd sitb/i, pleasant fruit.

" Siibhaiii /i/Z/v s'faile yliroiseitlean." — M'Ix'IVRe. Wild strawberries and the odour of gooseberries.

SutJiag^ a strawberry or raspberr)\

" Cnir deirge n'ant snt/iai; an rulliodh tlia'd ghruidh."' Thy cheeks are ruddier than the strawberry.

Irish : catog, the strawberry bush. Cat/i, seeds (the seedy fruit). Welsh : niefiissai.

Rubus (from ri(b, red in Celtic), in reference to the colour of the fruit in some species.

Rubus chamsemorus — Cloudberry. (iaelic : oircag, variously written, — oig/ircag, foigh/rag, feireag. Irish : cireag{hon\ circachd, beauty).

" P.reac XeftirMgan is cruin dearg ceann." — MTntvre. Checkered with cloudberries with round red heads.

" The cloudberry is the most grateful fruit gathered by the Scotch Highlanders " (Neill).

The badge of Clan M'Farlane.

Cruban-na saona, "the dwarf mountain bramble." (O'Reilly, Armstrong, and others). Probably this is another name for the cloudberry, but its peculiar and untranslatable name furnishes no certain clue to what plant it was formerly applied.

R. saxatilis — Stone bramble. Gaelic : caora bad 7niann, the berry of the desirable cluster. Riiiteaga, redness, a slight tinge of red.

R. idseus — Raspberry. Gaelic : prcas siibJi cJiraobh [craob/i, a tree, a sprout, a bud), the bush with sappy sprouts.

" Fàile nan shth-clu-aobh A's nan ròsann." — MTntyre. The odour of rasps and roses.

Welsh : inafon, — ma/, what is clustering. Gaelic : preas s/iùid/icag, the sappy bush. Si/g/iag, the fruit (from siig/i, juice, sap).

R. fruticosus— Common bramble. Irish and Gaelic: dreas, plural dris. \\'elsh : dyrys, — the root rys, entangle, with prefix

dy^ force, irritation. In Gaelic and Welsh the words dris and drysicn are applied to the bramble and briar indiscriminately.

" An drcas a fas gii h-iirar."— OssiAN.

The bramble (or briar) freshly growing. " Am fear theid san droighioiin domh

Theid me san dris da." — Proverb.

If one pass through thorns to me,

I'll pass through brambles (or liriars) to him.

Griaii i/i/uii/u', the thorn (bush) that basks in the sun. Dris miwie, — muine, a thorn, prickle, sting. Smear phreas (Irish : smeiir), the bush that smears ; smcarag, that which smears (the fruit). Welsh : iniar, the bramble. {Miar or ineur in Gaelic means a finger.) Smearadid, fingering, greasing, smearing. (Com- pare Dutch, smeeren ; German, schmieren, to smear or daub.) Dris-smear, another combination of the preceding names.

This plant is the badge of the Clan M'Lean.

R. csesius — Blue bramble ; dewberry bush. Gaelic : prcas- nan-gonn dhcarc, the blueberry bush.

" Bar gach tolmain fo bhrat ,<^vn?i d/wair." — M'DoNALn. Every knoll under a mantle of blueberries (dewberries).

The blue bramble is the badge of the Clan M'Nab. Rosa canina — Dog-rose. Gaelic : coi/i rbs, dogs' rose (av'/z, gen. plural of cù, a dog). Greek : x^^-wv. Latin : ca/iis. Sanscrit : amds. Irish : cii. ^^^elsh : /:i.

Gaelic : coin dro/g/iio/i/i, dogs' thorn. Earrdhrcas or fcari-a- dhris, earrad, armour ; suggested by its being armed with prickles. " Mar mhucaig na. /Mrra-dhris.^^ — M'Ellar. Like hips on the briar.

Freas-nain-inucaig, the hip bush — from nine (Welsh : moc/i), a pig, from the fancied resemblance of the seeds to pigs, being bristly. Irish : sgeach mhadi'a, the dogs' haw or bush. Welsh : merddrain. Gaelic : ròs, rose ; cultivated rose, ròs gharaidh.

" Be sid an sealladh eibhinn ! Do bhruachan ^k-dhearg ros^ That was a joyful sight ! Thy banks so rosy red.

R. rubiginosa — Sweet-briar (briar, Gaelic : a bodkin or pin). Gaelic ; dris chiibhraidh, the fragrant bramble. Irish : sgeach- chumhra, the fragrant haw or bush. Cuirdris, the twisting briar, — cuir, gen. sing, of car, to twist or wind.

Agrimonia eupatoria — Agrimony. Gaelic : mnr-dhraidhcan, — ;////;-, sorrow, grief, affliction ; draidhean, another form of dJu'oighionn (see Prnnus spinosd). Draidh, or dnnd/i, also means a magician, whicli may refer to its supposed magical effects on troubles as well as diseases. A noted plant in olden times for the cure of various complaints. Irish : marbh dhroighionn, — marbhdhruidh, a necromancer, or magician. Geur bhikach, — gt^Kr, sharp, sour, rigid ; bhikach, leaved ; — on account of its leaves being sharply serrated, or because of its bitter taste. Mtrcan nam inagh, the merry one of the field. Welsh : y dorllwyd, the way to good luck.

Sanguisorba — Burnet. A bhikach ksgain. The leaves good for burns and inflammations [iosgadh, burning).

Alchemilla vulgaris — Common Lady's Mantle. Gaelic : copan ail dniiihd, the átwcw^; falluing mhuire, Mary's mantle. Irish: dhearna inhuii-e, Mary's palm. Gaelic : crab komhainn, lion's pawj cota preasach nighcan an righ, the princesses' plaited gar- ment. Irish : kathach bhiddhe [kathach, divided).

Alchemilla alpina — Alpine Lady's Mantle. Gaelic : trusgan, mantle. The satiny under-side of the leaves of this and the other species has given rise to the nvim^s trnsgan, falluing, cota, and the English name. Lady's Mantle.

"Tha trusgan faoilidh air cruil an aonich." — M'Intyke. The mantle-grass on the ridge of the mountain.

The hills about Coire-cheathaich and Ben Doran (the district described by the poet) are covered with this beautiful plant. The word trusgan, mantle, may be used in this instance in its poetic sense.

Mespilus germanica — Medlar. Gaelic : cian nicidil (M'Uon- ald), said to be a corruption of Mespilus. Greek : fxeaos, half, and 7rtA.o9, a bullet. The fruit resembles half a bullet.

Crataegus oxyacantha — Whitethorn, hawthorn. Gaelic : sgith- each geal, drioghionn geal (see Prunus spinosa), gcal, white ; preas nan sgeachag; sgcach, a haw. Welsh : dracncn 7uen, white thorn.

" Miòs bog nan ubhlan breac-mheallachd ! Gu peurach plumbach sgeachagach, A' luisreadh sios le dearcagaibh,

Cir, mhealach, beachach, groiseideach." — M'Lachuinn. Soft month of the spotted bossy apples I Producing pears, plums, and haws, Abounding in berries, wax, Honey, wasps, and gooseberries.

Uath or huath — the ancient Gaelic and Irish name — has several significations ; but the root seems to be hu (Celtic), that which pervades. Welsh : huad, that which smells or has a scent {hiiadgu, a hound that scents). "The name hawthorn is supposed to be a corruption of the Dutch hoeg, a hedge-thorn. Although the fruit is generally called a haw, that name is derived from the tree which produces it, and does not, as is frequently supposed, take its name from the fruit it bears." — Jones. Haw- thorn may only be a corruption of hiiad-draen, scented thorns. The badge of the Clan Ogilvie.

Pyrus (from peren, Celtic for pear). Latin : pynini. Armoric : per. Welsh : peren. French : poire.

Pyrus communis — Wild pear. Gaelic : craohh pheumin fiad- hain {pein\ the fruit), the wild pear-tree.

Pyrus malus— " Mel or mal, Celtic for the apple, which the Greeks have rendered ixrjXov, and the Latins vialus^ — Don. AVelsh : afal. Anglo-Saxon : cepl. Norse : apal, apple. Gaelic : uhhal ; craob/i ubhal fiadhaijì^ the wild apple-tree.

" Do mheasan milis cul^hraidh Nan jtbhinii 's 'nam /«vc;-. "' — M'DoXAi.n.

Thy sweet and fragrant fruits, Apples and pears.

The old form of the word was adhul or abJud. The culture of apples must have been largely carried on in the Highlands in olden times, as appears from lines by Merlin, who flourished in A.D. 470, of which the following is a translation : —

"Sweet apple-tree loaded with the sweetest fruit, growing in the lonely wilds of the woods of Celyddon (Dunkeld), all seek thee for the sake of thy produce, but in vain ; until Cadwaldr comes to the conference of the ford of Rheon, and Conan advances to oppose the Saxons in their career."

This poem is given under the name of Afallaiiau, or Orchard, by which Merlin perhaps means Athol — z>., Abhal ox Adhul — which is believed by etymologists to acquire its name from its fruitfulness in apple - trees. Goirteag (from goirt, bitter), the sour or bitter one (the crab - apple). Cicairtagaii (the fruit) ; ci/airt, round, the roundies. Irish : ateirt.

" 'San m'an Ruadh-aisrigli ah'fhas na cuairtagaii.'' — M'Intyre. It was near the red path where the crab-apples grew.

Tliis plant is the badge of the Clan Lamont.

24

Pyrus aucuparia — Mountain-ash, rowan-tree. Old Irish and Gaelic : litis, drink {luisj-eog, a charm). The Highlanders formerly- used to distil the fruit into a very good spirit. They also be- lieved " that any part of this tree carried about with them would prove a sovereign charm against all the dire effects of enchant- ment or witchcraft." — Lightfoot (1772). Fiiinseag coille, the wood enchantress, or the wood-ash (see Circced) ; craohh chaoran, the berry -tree {caor, a berry). Irish: fair/a i/ni dcarg, the red crab.

" V>\\ dh'eirge a ghruidli 11a caoraa.'' — Ossian. His cheeks were ruddier than tlie ro\\an.

" Siiil chorrach mar an dearcag, Fo rosg a dh-iathas dlii, Gruidhean mar na caoi-an Fo n' aodann tha leam ciiin."— An cailin dileas donn.

Thine eyes are like the blaeberry, Full and fresh upon the brae, Thy cheeks shall blush like the rowans On a mellow autumn day.

(Translated by Professor J. S. Blackie.)

This plant is the badge of the Clan M'Lachlan.

Pyrus cydonia — Quince-tree. Gaelic : craobJi cliuiiiusc, cor- ruption of quince, from French coig/iassa, pear-quince. Originally from Cydon in Candia.

AURANTIACE/E.

Citrus aurantium — The orange. Gaelic: or iib/ial, golden apple ; or mheas, golden fruit ; oraisd} from Latin aiiniiu. Irish : or. Welsh : oyr, gold.

" 'S Phoebus dàth na'n tonn Air fiamh oreitsin." — M 'Donald. And Phcebus colouiing the waves With an orange tint.

Citrus medica — Citron. Gaelic : craohh s/iitroin.

Citrus limonum— Lemon. Gaelic ; a-a?ifi limoin. French :

liinoii. Italian : liwonc.

1 Spelt by M 'Donald properly orainis. His spelling generally is far from correct, and the same word often spelt different ways. He is also much given to translating a name from the English. — Fergusscm.

2 5 MVRTACE^.

Punica granatum — Pomegranate. Gaelic : gràu vbhal (s^rà//, I.atin, granum), grain-apple.

" Tha do gheuga mar Yxq^ gràn iihhlan, leis a'mheas a's taitniche." — SoNG OF Solomon.

Thy plants are an orchard of pomegranates with pleasant fruits. (Now generally y^ruXtn pomgranat in recent editions.)

Myrtus communis — Myrtle. Gaelic : miorial.

"An ait droighne fàsaidh an guithas, agus an ait drise fàsaidh am jnioiial." — Isaiah Iv. 13.

Instead of the thorn shall grow the fir, and instead of the briar, the myrtle.

Onagrace^.

Epilobium montanum — IMountain willow-herb. Gaelic: on seikac/ian, diminutive of seilcach (Latin : salix^ a willow), from the resemblance of its leaves to tiie willow. Welsh : hdyglys, same meaning.

E. angustifolium — Rosebay. Gaelic: scilcachan fraiigach, French willow. Fcamainn (in Breadalbane), a common name for plants growing near water, especially if they have long stalks.

Circaea lutetiana and alpina — Enchantress's nightshade. Gaelic and Irish : fiiinnseach. Not improbably from Irish ninn- seac/i, playing the wanton — the reference being to the fruit, which lays hold of the clothes of passengers, from being covered with hooked prickles (as Circe is fabled to have done with her enchant- ments) ; or fuinn, a veil, a covering. The genus grows in shady places, where shrubs fit for incantations may be found. " Fuinn (a word of various significations), also means the earth; and seach, dry — i.e., the earth-dryer. Fuinnseagal (another Irish name), from Seagal (Latin, secolc), rye — i.e., ground-rye " (Brockie). Li/s na h'oidhnan, the maiden's or enchantress's weed.

Lythrace.e.

Lythrum salicaria — Spiked lythrum, purple loosestrife. Gaelic : Ins an sith chainnt, the peace-speaking plant.

" Chuir Dia oirnn craobh sith chainnt, Bha da'r dionadh gu leoir." — Ian Lom. God put the peace-speaking plant over us, Which sheltered us completely.

The name also applies to the common loosestrife, suggested probably by the Greek Xwo-is /xaxT/, of which the English name

D

26

" loosestrife " is a translation. Irish : brcailaii leana. Breal, a knob, a gland. It was employed as a remedy for glandular diseases, or from the appearance of the plant when in seed. Brea/lan means also a vessel. The capsule is enclosed in the tube of the calyx, as if it were in a vessel. Lean, a swamp. Generally growing in watery places.

Halorage.í:.

Myriophyllum spicatum and alterniflorum. — Water- milfoil. Gaelic and Irish : siiaithe bhatheadh (from snaith, a thread, a filament; and bath, drown), the drowned thread.

Grossulariace/e.

Ribes, said to be the name of an acid plant. {Rheum libes, mentioned by the Arabian physicians, a different plant). More probably from the Celtic riob, rib, or reub, to ensnare or en- tangle, to tear — many of the species being prickly. Latin : idbes. Gaelic : spiontag, currant, gooseberry. Irish : spiontog, spin. Latin : spina, a thorn ; also spion, pull, pluck, tear away. Welsh : yspinem.

Ribes nigrum — Black currant. Gaelic : j-aosar diibh, the black currant. Raosar (Scotch, rizzar — from French, raisin ; Welsh, rhyfion ; Old English, raisin tree), for red currant.

R. rubrum — Red or white currants. Gaelic : raosar dearg or gea/, red or white currants ; dcarc frangach, French berry.

R. grossularia — Gooseberry-bush. Gaelic : preas ghrosaid (written also groscag, grosaid), the gooseberry — from grossulus, diminutive of grossus, an unripe fig, — " so called because its berries resemble little half-ripe ^^?,, grossi" (Loudon). French : groscille. Welsh : grwysen. Scotch : grozet, graze/. " Suthan-lair's falle ghroseideaii." — M'Intyre. Wild strawberry and the odour of gooseberries.

CRASSULACE.E.

(From Latin, erassi/s, thick — in reference to the fleshy leaves and stem. Gaelic : crasag, corpulent.)

Sedum rhodiola — Rose-root. Gaelic and Irish : ius nan laoch, the heroes' plant ; laoch, from the Irish, meaning a hero, a cham- pion, a term of approbation for a young man.

The badge of the Clan Gunn.

S. acre — Stonecrop, wall-pepper. Gaelic and Irish : grafan nan cJach, the stone's pickaxe. Welsh : flyddarlys, prick madam.

Also in Gaelic : ghis-la/i/i and glas lean, a green spot. Welsh : manion y cerg.

S. telepMum — Orpine. Scotch : orpie. Gaelic : orp (from the French, orpin). Lus nan laogh, the calf or fawn's plant ; laog/i, a calf, a fawn, or young deer, a term of endearment for a young child. Irish : laogh. Welsh : iho. INIanx : leig/i. Armoric ; lite. Welsh : fdefin (from I^atin, ickphiuin).

Sempervirum tectorum — House -leek. Gaelic: his nan cluas^ the ear-plant (the juice of the plant applied by itself, or mixed with cream, is used as a remedy for the ear-ache); lus g/iaraidh, the garden-wort ; oirp, sometimes written norp (French, orpm) ; tin gealach, tineas ?ia gealaich, lunacy — //;///, sick, and gealach, the moon {geal, white, from Greek, yaka, milk) ; — it be- ing employed as a remedy for various diseases, particularly those of women and children, and head complaints. Irish : sinicin, the little round hill; lir-pi/i, the ground -pine. Welsh: llysie pen-ty, house-top plant.

Cotyledon umbilicus — Navel -wort, wall-pennywort. Gaelic: lamhan cat leacain, the hill-cat's glove. Irish : corn caisiol, the wall drinking-horn (from corn, a cup, a convex surface ; from its peltate round convex leaves). Latin : corni/, a horn. Welsh : corn. French : corne ; and caisiol, a wall (or any stone building), where it frequently grows.

Saxifragace^.

Saxifraga — Saxifrage. Gaelic: clock -bhriseach (Armstrong), stone - breaker — on account of its supposed medical virtue for that disease. Welsh : cromil yr englyn.

S. granulata — Meadow saxifrage. Gaelic and Irish : nioran, which means many, a large number — probably referring to its many granular roots.

Chryosplenium oppositifolium — Golden saxifrage. Gaelic : /its nan laogh (the same for Scdi/nt telepJiium). Irish : clabrus, from clabar, mud, growing in muddy places ; gloiris, from gloire, glory, radiance, — another name given by the authorities for the " golden saxifrage ; " but they probably mean Saxifraga aizoides, a more handsome plant, and extremely common beside the brooks and rivulets among the hills.

^ This is what I always heard it called; but M'Donald gives iiorn, and in the Highland Society's Dictionary it is given creamh-garaidh, evidently a translation by the compilers, as they give the same name to the Leek. —

Fergusson.

Parnassia palustris — Grass of Parnassus. Shaw gives the naxne Jioiuisgoth [Jionn, white, pleasant, and sgoth, a flower), "a flower," but he does not specify which. Finonan gcal has also been given as the name in certain districts, which seems to indi- cate \\\2X fionnsgoth is the true Celtic name.

Araliace^.

Hedera — " Has been derived from hcdra, a cord, in Celtic " (Loudon).

Hedera helix — Ivy. Gaelic : cid/ieann, that which clothes or covers (from eid, to clothe, to cover) ; written also eigheann (age, a web), eidh/ic, citncann.

" Spionn an eillicanii o'craobh." — Olu Foem.

Tear the ivy from the tree. " Eitlicann nan crag."— OssiAN. The rock-ivy.

" Briseadh tro chreag nan eidheann dlu' Am fuaran iir le torraman trom." — Miann a Bhakd Aosda. Let the new-born gurgling fountain gush from the ivy-covered rock.

Faithleadgh, Irish : faithlah, that which takes hold or possession. Welsh : iiddew (from eiddiaw, to appropriate). Irish : aighneann (from aighne, affection), that which is symbolic of affection, from its clinging habit. Gort, sour, bitter — the berries being unpal- atable to human beings, though eaten by birds. lalluin (from iall, a thong, or that which surrounds ); perhaps from the same root as helix. Greek : eiAew {eileo, to encompass) ; also iadh- s/ilaf, the twig that surrounds, — a name likewise given to the honeysuckle {Loniccra periclymeiium), because it twines like the ivy —

" Mar iadh-sldat ri stoc aosda." Like an ivy to an old trunk.

An giit/i, a spear, a dart.

The badge of the Clan Gordon.

CoRNACE^.

Cornus (from Latin : cor>iii, a horn). Gaelic : corn. French : coruc. " The wood being thought to be hard and durable as horn."

Cornus sanguinea— Dogwood, cornel-tree. Gaelic : coiii-bhil, dogwood ; avibhaiscne, dog-tree {baiscne, Irish, a tree). Irish : crann coirncl, cornel-tree.

C. suecica — Dwarf cornel, — literally, Swedish cornel. Gaelic and Irish : lus-a-chraois, plant of gluttony {craos, a wide mouth ; gluttony, appetite). " The berries have a sweet, waterish taste, and are supposed by the Highlanders to create a great appe- tite,— whence the Erse name of the plant" (Stuart of Killin).

Umbellifer.ií.

Hydrocotyle vulgaris — Marsh pennywort. Gaelic : Ins 7ia peig/iiii/i, the pennywort. Irish : Ins na pinghine (O'Reilly), from the resemblance of its peltate leaf to a peighiiin^—'x Scotch penny, or the fourth part of a shilling sterling.

Eryngium maritimum — Sea-holly. Gaelic and Irish : cuilcann tràgkiì, sea-shore holly. (See Ikx aquifolium). Welsh : y mdr gely/i, sea-holly {celvnen, holly).

Sanicula europaea — Wood sanicle. Gaelic : bodan coil/e, wood- tail, — the little old man of the wood. Irish : caogma, — caog, to wink. Biiine, an ulcer, — a noted herb, " to heal all green wounds speedily, or any ulcers. This is one of Venus, her herbs, to cure either wounds or what other mischief i1/<7ri- inflicteth upon the body of man" (Culpepper). Welsh : dust yr arth, bear's-ear.

Conium maculatum — Hemlock. Gaelic : viinmhear (Shaw), — smooth or small fingered, or branched, in reference to its foli- age ; inongach mhear, and muiniiihear, — mong and mui/ig, a mane, from its smooth, glossy, pinnatifid leaves. Minbhar, soft- topped or soft-foliaged. Iteod/ia, iteotha, — ite, feathers, plumage. The appearance of the foliage has evidently suggested these names, and not the qualities of the plant, although it is looked upon still with much antipathy.

" Is coslach e mcasg cliaich

Ri iteodha an garadh." — M'Intyre. Among other people he is like a hemlock in a garden. " Mar so tha breilheanas a' fas a nios, mar an iteoiha ann claisibh na mach- rach. "— lies. x. 4.

Thus judgment springeth up like a hcmloik in the furrows of the fiekl.

Welsh : gwÌ7i diilad, pain-killer. Manx : aghue.

"' Ta'n aghue veg shuyr da'n ai^hiw vooar. " — Manx Proveriì. The little hemlock is sister to the big hemlock. (A small sin is akin to the great one.)

Cicuta virosa — Water-hemlock. " The hemlock given to prisoners as poison " (Pliny) ; and that with which Socrates was poisoned. Gaelic and Irish : fcalla bog, the soft deceiver; fca//.

3°

treason, falsehood; :^\-\à fcallair [fcall fhear), a deceiver, — from the some root (Latin, /<?//í;, to deceive). Welsh: ccgid. Latin: cicuta.

Smyrnium olusatrum — Alexanders. Gaelic: Ins nan gran diibh, the plant with black seeds, — on account of its large black seeds. It was formerly eaten as a salad or pot-herb, whence, and from its blackness, the name ohisatrnm (Latin : olus^ a vege- table, and ater, black). " ' Alexanders,' because it was supposed to have been brought from Alexandria " (Ray).

Apium (from Celtic root, abh, a fluid or water, Latinised into apiiim).

Apium graveolens — Smallage, wild celery, Gaelic : his na snialaig, a corruption of smallage. Pearsal mhor, the large pars- ley. lnú\ : jneirse. Greek: fx.€ipa, to divide; or Anglo-Saxon : i/ii-rsc , a lake, sea. Latin : ma)'e, — marshy ground being its habi- tat. Welsh : pcrsli frciigig, French parsley.

Petroselinum sativum — Parsley. Gaelic : pearsal (corruption from the Greek, ttct/jos, petros, a rock, and creA.tvoi/, selinon, parsley). Mu'uiean M/iitire, Mary's sprouts. Welsh : persli.

Heliosciadium inundatum — Marshwort. Gaelic : fualadar (from/z/cr/, water). The plant grows in ditches, among water.

Carum carui— Caraway. Scotch: can'ic ; Gaelic: carbhaidh (a corruption from the generic name), from Caria, in Asia Minor, because it was originally found there ; — also written carbhinn.

" Calhair Ihalmhaiita's iV?;-/'///;/;; cliroc clicannach." — M'Intyre. The yarrow and the horny-headed caraway.

Lus Mliic C/iiiiinein, M'Cumin's wort. The name is derived from the Arabic gatnoun, the seeds of the plant Cuminiini cyminian {cumin), which are used like those of caraway.

Bunium flexuosum — The earth-nut. Gaehc: braonan bhiiadiail, the shepherd's drop (or nut) ; braonan bachlaig (Shaw) ; cno t/ialnikainn, — cno, a nut, ihaimhahm, earth, — ploughed land, ground. (Hebrew : D'^r, tilini, ridges, heaps ; D^P, ialam, break, as into ridges or furrows, — heap up. Latin : telius. Arabic : tel). Irish : caor thalmkainn, earth-berry ; coirearan mule, pig- berries, or pig-nuts. Ciitharlan, a plant with a bulbous root.

Foeniculum vulgare — Fennel. Gaelic : lus an fsaiod/i, the hayweed. Fincal, from Latin, /a'/////;/, hay, — the smell of the plant resembling that of hay. Irish : fineal chunihihra {cumhra, sweet, fragrant). Welsh : ffcnigl.

Ligusticum, from Liguria, where one species is common.

31

Ligusticum scoticum — Lovage. Gaelic : siinias, from sioii, a blast, a storm, — growing in exposed situations. In the Western Isles, where it is frequent on the rocks at the sea-side, it is some- times eaten raw as a salad, or boiled as greens.

Levisticum officinale ^ — Common lovage. Gaelic : liiib/i an liugair, the cajoler's weed. It was supposed to soothe patients subject to hysterics and other complaints. Irish : liis an liagaire, the physician's plant, from which the Gaelic name is a corruption. Welsh : dulys, the dusky plant.

Meum athamanticum — Men, spignel, baldmoney. Gaelic: viiiilccuiiii. Scotch : niickcn, — miiilceann,^ possibly from ;//////, a scent; mulcidcachd, a bad smell (Shaw) ; <rm//;/, a head or top. The whole plant is highly aromatic, with a hot flavour like lovage. Highlanders are very fond of chewing its roots.

Angelica — (So named from the supposed angelic virtues of some of the species).

A. sylvestris — Wood angelica. Gaelic : his Jiam b//ad/ia, the plant having virtues or powers. Ciiinneog m/iig/ic, the whey bucket. GaUuran, perhaps from gall (Greek : gala), milk, from its power of curdling milk ; for this reason, hay containing it is considered unsuitable for cattle. Irish: contran. Aiiigcalag: angelica.

Crithmum maritimum — Samphire. Gaelic : saimldiir, a cor- ruption of the French name St Pierre (St Peter), from Greek, Trérpa, a rock or crag. (The samphire grows on cliffs on the shore). Gaelic : lus nan cnatn/i, the digesting weed ; cnàmh (from Greek : yyaia ; Welsh : cnoi ; Irish : cnaoi), chew, digest. The herb makes a good salad, and is used medicinally. Irish : grioloigin, — griol, to slap, to strike,

Peucedanum ostruthium — Great masterwort. Gaelic : inor fhliodh (Armstrong), the large excrescence, or the large chick- weed.

P. officinale — Hog-fennel or sow-fennel. Gaelic : fincal sraide (Shaw), — sraide, a lane, a walk, a street. This plant is not found in Scotland, but was cultivated in olden times for the stimulating qualities attributed to the root.

^ Levisticum, from Latin, h~i'o, I assuage.

- In Invernesshire, hricin or bricin dubh, perhaps from hri, juice ; or, as mentioned in Lightfoot, vol. i. p. 158, as Sibbald says it grows on the banks of the Breick Water in West Lothian, may not some native of the banks of the Breick have given it this local name in remembrance of seeing it growing on the banks of his native Breick ?—Fergusson.

32

Anethum graveolens — Strong- scented or common dill. Gaelic and Irish: dile (M'Donald) (Latin: diligo), — • dile, a word in Gaelic meaning love, affection, friendship. The whole plant is very aromatic, and is used for medicinal preparations.

Sium (from sin, " water in Celtic," I.oudon), perhaps from sjo (Gothic), water, lake, sea.

S. sisarum — Skirrets. Gaelic : cnimagaii (Shaw), from crom, bent, crooked, from the form of its tubers. The tubers were boiled and served up with butter, and were declared by Worl- ridge, in 1682, to be "the sweetest, whitest, and most pleasant of roots ; " formerly cultivated in Scotland under the name of "crummock," a corruption of the Gaelic name.

S. angustifolium— Water-parsnip. G^qWc : fohic/ida?i (Arm- strong), from folac/id, luxuriant vegetation ; a/i, water. Irish : cosadh diibhadh, the great water-parsnip (O'Reilly), {cos, a foot, stalk, shaft, and diihh, great, prodigious).

Pastinaca sativa — Parsnip. Gaelic: incacaii-an-righ, the king's root, royal root. Ciirran gcal (from ciir, to sow, gcal, white). Irish : cuiridin ban, the same meaning {ciiirim, I plant or sow). Welsh: j//orft/i g7C'}>Hio/i, field- carrot.

.ffigopodium podagraria — Goat-, gout-, or bishop - weed. Gaelic : ///s an casbiiig, — easbnig, a bishop. A name also given to ChrysantJicììiiim ienca/it/iemum, but with a different signification.

Heracleum sphondylium — Cow-parsnip. Gaelic : od/iaran, from odhar (Greek : wxpos ; English : ochre), pale, dun, yellow- ish, in reference to the colour of the flower. Meacan-a-chnddh, the cow's plant. The plant is wholesome and nourishing for cattle. Giiiinachan spiitachaÌ7i, squirt -guns. Children's name for the plant, because they make squirt-guns from its hollow stems.

Daucus carota — Carrot. Gaelic : cm-ran (from cur, to soiv), a root like that of the carrot. Carrait, corruption from carota, which is said to be derived from the Celtic root car, red, from the colour of the root. Muran — (Welsh : moron), a plant with tapering roots. Irish : ciirran bhuidhe, the yellow root. " JMiiran biiogliar 's an grunnasg lionmhar."— M'Intyre. The sappy carrot and the plentiful groundsel. Irish : viugoman, — mugan, a mug, from the hollow bird's-nest- like flower.

( cerifolium, \

Anthriscus 'vulgaris, — Chervil. Gaelic: cosfag, a

( temulentum |

common name for the chervils (from cost, an aromatic plant ; Greek : kOo-to?, kostos, same meaning). Costag a bhaile gheaftih- raidh {bhaile gkeam/iraidh, cultivated ground). " A. vulgaris was formerly cultivated as a potherb" (Dr Hooker).

Myrrhis (from Greek : /tvpoi/, myrori., perfume ; Gaelic : viirr, — tiis agiis inirr, frankincense and myrrh).

M, odorata — Sweet cicely or great chervil. Gaelic : cos nisgc (Sliaw), the scented water-plant.^ " Sweet chervil, gathered while young, and put among other herbs in a sallet, addeth a marvel- lous good relish to all the rest" (Parkinson).

Coriandrum (a name used by Pliny, derived from Kopts, coris, a bug, from the fetid smell of the leaves).

C. sativum — Coriander. Gaelic : coireiiiian, — li/s a cJwire, cor- ruptions from the Greek. It is still used by druggists for various purposes, and by distillers for flavouring spirits.

LORANTHACE.^.

Viscum album — Mistletoe. Gaelic and Irish: iiilc-icc {ìiììe, Welsh: hall or all; Goth.: alls ; German: aller ; A. S.: eal ; English: all \ ice, Welsh: iarc, a cure or remedy), a nos- trum, a panacea (M'Donald), all-heal. Armoric : all-yiach. Welsh : oll-iach. Irish : iiile iccach. This is the ancient Druid- ical name for this plant. Pliny tells us, "The Druids (so they call their Magi) hold nothing in such sacred respect as the mistletoe, and the tree upon which it grows, provided it be an oak. ' Omnia sanantem appellantes suo vocabulo.' (They call it by a word signifying in their own language All-heal.) And having prepared sacrifices, and feast under the tree, they bring up two white bulls, whose horns are then first bound ; the priest, in a white robe, ascends the tree, and cuts it off with a golden knife ; it is received in a white sheet. Then, and not till then, they sacrifice the victims, praying that God would render His gift prosperous to those on whom He had bestowed it. When mistletoe is given as a potion, they are of opinion that it can remove animal barrenness, and that it is a remedy against all poisons." Druidh-lus, the Druid's weed. " The proper etymology is the ancient Celtic vocable di-i/, an oak, from which Spus is taken " (Armstrong). Sùgh dharaich, the sap or sub- stance of the oak, b'ecause it derives its substance from the oak, it being a parasite on that and other trees. (S/igh, juice, sub-

^ In Braemar it is commonly called w/rr. — En. 'Scottish Naturalist.' E

34

stance, sap ; Latin : si/rci/s). Irish : gitis, viscous, sticky, on account of the sticky nature of the berries. French : giii.

Caprifomace^.

Sambucus nigra — Common elder. Gaelic and Irish : ;-///>, meaning "wood." "The ancient name of the tree, which in the vulgar Irish is called from " (O'Reilly) ; dniman or drovian (Sanscrit : dni, wood, tree ; dm mas, wood). Welsh : ysga7vc!i, elder.

S. ebulus — Dwarf elder. Gaelic and Irish : fliodh a bhalla, the wall excrescence. Midart " seems to be the same as the Welsh word vnoyllartaith {inwyll, emollient, and artaith, tor- ment ") (Brockie). It was esteemed a powerful remedy for the innumerable ills that flesh is heir to. Mulabhar [imd, a multi- tude, and bar, top) may only be a corruption of mulart. The specific name is from evfSoXr], eiibolc, an eruption. Welsh : ysga7ven Mair, Mary's elder.

Viburnum opulus — Guelder-rose, Water -elder. Gaelic: <-í7/--/Wt77;/, heal- wax (Latin: ccra ; Greek: XVP'"'^ > Welsh: ncyr, wax), the healing, wax like plant, from the waxy appearance of the flowers.

V. lantana — Wayfaring tree. Gaelic : craohh fiadJiaiii (Arm- strong), the wild or uncultivated tree.

Lonicera periclymenum — Woodbine, honeysuckle. Gaelic: nil/fan (elbows, arms, joints) elbow-like plant; fcith, feithlean. \úú\: featJdog,fethIen, iromfcit/i, a sinew, tendon, suggested by its twisting, sinewy stems. Lus ua meala, the honey-plant, from mil (Greek : /xeXi ; Latin : )>icl), honey. Dcolag, or deoghalag, from deothail, to suck. Irish : cas fa chraiui^ that which twists round the tree. Bame gamhuach (O'Reilly), the yearling's milk. A somewhat satirical name, implying that the sucking will pro- duce scanty results. In Gaelic, iadh s/ilat is frequently applied both to this plant and to the ivy (see Hcdera helix). Welsh : gwyddfid, tree-climber or hedge-climber.

RURIACE/E.

Rubia tinctorum — Madder. Gaelic : madar (Armstrong). Galium aparine — Goose-grass; cleavers. Gaelic: garbh lus,

1 In Stratharille and many other districts, lciim-a-chraiin {hitvi, jump, crattii, a tree) alluding to its jumping or spreading from tree to tree. High. Soc. Diet, gives diiillmr-fiithlean, probal)ly from its darkening whatever grew under it. — Fergusson.

35

the rough weed. Irish : ain/u-irg, from ain/i, arms, weapons, from its stem being so profusely armed with retrograde prickles.

G. saxatile (Armstrong) — Heath bedstraw. Madar fraoc/i, heath madder. It grows abundantly among heather. O'Reilly gives this name also to G. verum.

Gr. verum — Yellow bedstraw. Ruin, niain/i, from niaJh, red. " The Highlanders use the roots to dye red colour. Tlieir manner of doing so is this : The bark is stripped off the roots, in which bark the virtue principally lies. They then boil the roots thus stripped in water, to extract what little virtue remains in them ; and after taking them out, they last of all put the bark into the liquor, and boil that and the yarn they intend to dye together, adding alum to fix the colour " (Lightfoot).

Lus an leasaich (in Glen Lyon) the rennet-weed. " The rennet is made as already mentioned, with the decoction of this herb. The Highlanders commonly added the leaves of the Uriica dioica or stinging-nettle, with a little salt " (Lightfoot). Irish : baladh chnis (O'Reilly), the scented form {baladh, odour, scent, cneas, form).

Asperula odorata — Woodruff. Gaelic : lusa-caitheainh} Pro- bably the Irish name baladh chnis, the scented form, is the wood- ruff, and not the lady's bedstraw ; it is more appropriate to the former than to the latter.

VaLERIANACEìE.

Valeriana of&cinalis — Great wild valerian. Gaelic : an tri- bhileach (M'Kenzie) ; lus na tri bhilcan (Armstrong), tlie three-leaved plant, from tlie pinnate leaves and an odd terminal one, forming three prominent leaflets. Irish : lus na ttri ballan, the plant with three teats {ballan, a teat) ; perhaps from its three prominent stamens (Brockie) ; carthan curaigh {carthan, useful, curaigh, a hero, a giant) — i.e., the useful tall plant. Welsh: y llysiewyn, the beautiful plant ; y dri-aglog {dri, three, aglog, burning ; from its hot bitter taste).

V. dioica — Marsh or dwarf valerian. Irish: carthan arraigh, from arrach, dwarf; caoirin leana, that which gleams in the marsh {caoir, gleams, sparks, flames, flashes; leana, a swamp, a marsh). Although this plant is not recorded from Ireland, yet the names only occur in the Irish Gaelic.

1 Lusa-caithcamh, the consumption Iierb, as it was much used fur that disease.— Fergusson.

36

Dipsace.í;.

Dipsacus sylvestris \ Teasel,

,, fullonum j Teasel, or fuller's teasel. Gaelic : Icadan, — liodaii ; liodaii an fhncadair {lea dan or lioda/i, a head of \vx\r, fiicadair, a fuller of cloth); used for raising the nap upon woollen cloth, by means of the hooked scales upon the heads of the fuller's teasel. Irish: /aga. Welsh: llysic y cribef, carding plant, from crib^ a comb, card.

Scabiosa succisa — Devil's bit scabious. Gaelic and Irish: lira bJiallach [ur, fresh, new ; ba/lach, from ball, a globular body, from its globular-shaped flower-heads, or ballach, spotted. This old Celtic word is found in many languages. Greek : ftaXXw. German : ball.) Urach mhtdlaich, bottle-topped (tirach, a bottle, from the form of the flower-head ; viidlach, top). Odharach inhiiUaich, a corruption of tirach. {Od/iar means dun or yel- lowish, but the flower is blue). G?eim an diabhail (O'Reilly), devil's bit, from its praemorse root, the roots appearing as if bitten off. According to the old superstition, the devil, envy- ing the benefits this plant might confer on mankind, bit away a part of the root, hence the name. Welsh : y glafrllys, from clafr, clazcr, scab, mange, itch ; translation of scabiosa, from scabies, the itch, which disorder it is said to cure.

Knautia arvensis — ^Corn-field knautia (so named in honour of C. Knaut, a German botanist) or field scabious. Gaelic : gille guirniein, the blue lad. Irisli : caba deasain, the elegant cap ; caba, a cap or hood ; and dcas, neat, ])retty, elegant. Bodach gonn, the blue old man.

CoMPusrn-E.

Helminthia echioides — Ox-tongue. Gaelic : bogltis (Arm- strong), a corruption from the Irish ; bolglns, ox-weed, from bolg, a cow, an ox. A name also given to Lycopsis arvensis. Bog liiib/i, same meaning.

Lactuca sativa— Lettuce. Gaelic and Irish : liains, lettuce, a corruption from lactuca (Latin : lac, milk), on account of the milky sap which flows coi)iously when the i)lant is cut ; liiibh inite, the eatable plant. Irish : billeog math, the good leaf. \Velsh : g%oylath, g7vyjluid, lact/i, milk.

Sonchus oleraceus — Common sow - thistle, milk - thistle. Gaelic and Irish : bog g/iioglian, the soft thistle. Irish : g/ogan, a thistle Baine niiiic, sow's milk.

37

S. arvensis — Gaelic : bliocii fochain, the corn milk-plant; blioch, milky \ focha/i, yotmg corn. ^Velsh : Had/i ysgailai, milk-thistle {ysgal/en, a thistle).

Hieracium pilosella — Mouse-ear hawkweed. Gaelic : dims hull, motise-ear \ ditas Hath, the grey ear.

H. murorum — Wall hawkweed. Irish : sntblian iia iiiiu; the pig's snout {sriihh, a snout).

Taraxacum dens-leonis — Dandelion. Gaelic: hcaniaii bride.

"Am bcarnan bride s'a pheighinn rioghil." — iM'lNTVRE. The dandelion and the penny-royal.

Beam, a notch, from its notched leaf; biìde^ ixom brigh, sap, juice, with which the plant abounds ; bior nam bride {bior, sharp, tooth-like) ; Jiacal leomhain, lion's teeth. Welsh : dant y Ucw, the same meaning as dandelion {dent de lion) and leontodon (Xewv, a lion ; and oSov;, a tooth), from the tooth like formation of the leaf. Castearbhan nam nine (Shaw)— The pig's sour-stemmed plant. Irish : caisearbhan, cais-f searbhain, castearbhan {cais, a word of many significations, but here from cas, a foot ; caiseag, the stem of a plant ; searbh, bitter, sour).

Cichorium intybus — Succory or Chicory. Gaelic : ins an t- suicair, a corruption from dchoriiim, which was so named from the Egyptian word chikoùryeh. Pliny remarks that the Egyp- tians made their chicory of much consequence, as it or a similar plant constituted half the food of the common people. It is also called in Gaelic castea?-bhan, the sour-stemmed plant.

C. endiva— Endive. Gaelic : enach ghàraidh {enach, corrup- tion of endiva, "from the Arabic name /lendibeh" (Du Théis), gàrad/i, a garden). Welsh : ysgali y meirch, horse-thistle.

Lapsana communis— Nipple-wort. Gaelic : duilleag mhaith, the good leaf; duilleag m/iin, the smooth leaf Irish : duilleog bhrighid, the efficacious leaf, or perhaps St Bridget's leaf, the saint who, according to Celtic superstition, had the power of revealing to girls their future husbands. French : herbe aiix mamelles, having been formerly applied to the breasts of women to allay irritation caused by nursing. Duilleog bhragliad, or braighe, the breast-leaf.

1 " Most certainly /;/7i/c' comes from its being in flower plentifully on latha fheill-bnde. "— Ferg U sso X .

Bride is also a corruption of Bbrighit, St Bridget. Latha Fhcill-Brr^hdc, Candlemas, St Bridget's Day.

3«

" Tlia do phòg mar ùbhlan garaidh, 'S tha do hhraighe mar an neoinean." — M'Intyre, Oian Gaoil. Thy kiss is like the apples of the garden, And thy bosom like the daisy.

" If it was used by tlie French for rubbing the breasts, nothing seems more likely than that it would be also so used by the Celts of Ireland and Scotland, which would at once give it the name oi diiHeog bragkad" (Fergusson).

Arctium — Celtic : art, a bear. Greek : apKTo<;, from tlie rough bristly hair of the frtiit.

A. lappa — Burdock. Gaelic and Irish : siiirichcan suirich, the foolish wooer {siiirichc, a fool ; suiric/i, a lover or wooer); sei/rean sia'ric/i, affectionate wooer {seirc, affection). Mac-a)i-dogha,^ the mischievous plant {mac-an for meacan, a plant) ; doghadh, mischievous (Shaw). Meacaii-tobhach-dubh, the plant that seizes {tobhach, wrestling, seizing, inducing; diibh, black, or large). Leadan liosda {kadan, a head of hair ; Hosda, stiff). Irish : copag tuaithil, the ungainly docken ; ceosa/i, the bur, or fruit.

"Mar c/hvsan air sgiathan fhirein." — OssiAN. Like bur clinging to the eagle's wing.

\\'elsh : cyughau, closely packed. C^-ibe y bleidd, wolfs comb. Caca mud, puck's dung. Lappa, from Celtic, ilap (Loudon). Gaelic (for hand) Idmh. Welsh : llamh.

Carduus heterophyllus — Melancholy thistle. Gaelic : duas ail fiicidh, the deer's ear.

C. palustris — Marsh-thistle. Gaelic : diiaran leana {diiaran, a thistle ; ican, a swamp) ;

" Lubadh dual an mu Lora nan sion." — OssiAN. Bending the thistle round Lora of the storms.

C/i/aran, a general name for all the thistles. Welsh : ys galh'/i.

C. lanceolatus — Spear-thistle. Gaelic : an diiaran deilgncadi, the prickly thistle {ddlgne, prickle-thorn).

C. arvensis — Corn-thistle. Gaelic : aighcannadi, the valiant one (from aighe, stout, valiant).

C. marianus — Mary's thistle. Gaelic : fof/ian/ian beannuidite. Irish : fothannan beanduighte (Latin : benedidus), the blessed thistle (so called from the superstition that its leaves are stained with the Virgin Mary's mìlk) ; fothaimaìi, fogh/ian, foundan, a thistle. Danish : /on, thistle down.

^ Dogha also means burnt or singed. It was formerly burned to procure from its ashes a white all<.aliue salt, as good as the best potash.

39

"Leannail)h am foglinan." — OssiAN.

Pursue the thistle-down. " 'Feadh nan raointean lorn ud,

Far nach cinn r\a.foth'nain."

Among these bare hillsides,

Where the thistles will not grow.

M'Donald has another name, cliiarau oir, the gold thistle.

" Gaoir bheachainn hhùi 's ruadha Ri deoghladh chliiaran oir. " The buzzing of yellow and red wasps Sucking the golden thistle.

It is tmcertain to which thistle, if any, the reference is made, unless it be to Carlina vulgaris, the carline thistle. Cluaran, occasionally means a daisy, CJirysanthcmum scgtiu/ii, one of its names being liatJian.

" Lialh chliiaran nam magh."— OssiAN. The hoary thistle (or daisy) of the field.

Here the reference is evidently to the corn-marigold ; in all probability M'Donald refers to the same flower, and not to any thistle (see Chrysanthetnum segetiim).

The thistle, the badge of the Clan Stewart.

Cynara scolymus — Artichoke. Gaelic : farusgag, horn far iisg, the inner rind, the part used being the lower part of the recep- tacle of the flower, freed from the bristles and seed-down, and the lower part of the leaves of the involucre. Bliosan, not un- likely to be a contraction from bli-liosan, — Mi {bligh), milk (with its florets milk was formerly coagulated) ; and iios, a garden. These names apply also to Heliantiuis tiibtrosus, Jerusalem arti- choke, especially to the tubers ; Kwà plur tia g?-eifie, to the flower, from the popular error that the flower turns with the sun.

Centaurea nigra — Knapweed. Gaelic: cnapan dub/t, the black knob (from cnap, a knob ; Welsh, Armoric, and Irish : aiap ; Saxon: cncep ; Danish map.) Mullach diib/i, the black top. Irish: niansgotJi, the daughter's flower [fiian, a daughter; sgof/i, a flower).

C. cyanus — Blue-bottle. Gaelic : gonnaii, the blue one. In some places, gille-guirinean , the blue lad. Ciirac/id c/ii/b/iaig, the cuckoo's cap or hood. Irish : airac na citig, the same meaning. Welsh : pen/as wen, blue headed beauty.

Artemisia vulgaris — Mugwort. Gaelic : Hath lus, the grey weed. Mor viauta (Shaw), the large demure-looking plant {mor.

4°

large ; jna/ifa, demure, basliful). Mi/^i^hard, Mugwort {i/ii/gan, in Irisli, a mug, or viugart, a hog). Irisii : bofulan ban, or biiafannan ban, the white toad, or seriDent {buaf, a toad ; biiafa, a serpent ; Latin : biifo, a toad) ; buafannan Hath, the grey toad or serpent. Welsh : llwydlys, grey weed.

A absinthium — Common wormwood. Gaelic : biiramaide. Irish: borra motor, also bnrbtin (burr a is, a worm or caterpillar; imiide, wood) — i.e., wormwood. Searbh luibh, bitter plant.

" Chuir e air mhisg m3 Ic searbh-hiihhcan.^' — Sti'ART. He liath made me drunk with wormwood. " Mar a bhiiriiiaid.'" Like the wormwood.

It was formerly used instead of hops to increase the intoxi- cating quality of malt liquor. Roide, gall, bitterness. Graban (from Gothic, grub, dig).^ Welsh : bcrinod chwe7-7i'Iys, bitter weed.

A. abrotanum — Southernwood. Gaelic : meath chaltuiuji. {Meath, Latin mitis, faint, weary, effeminate. Its strong smell is said to prevent faintness and weariness. Calhiinn, from càl, Latin: cald ; Italian: cala ; French: cale, a bay, sea-shore, a harbour.) It grows in similar situations to A. mariiiina. Irish : surabhan, suramoiit, and Welsh, siwdrmwt. The sour one {siir, sour), and " southernwood," also from the same root. Welsh : l/ysier cyrff, ale-wort {cyrff, Latin, ccrvisia, ale), it being fre- quently used instead of hops to give a bitter taste to malt liquors.

Gnaphalium dioicum, Gr. sylvaticum — Cudweed. Gaelic : cat luibh, the cat's weed. Gnàbh, or cnàmh his, the weed that wastes slowly (from yvacf>áXLov), a word with which Dioscorides describes a plant with white soft leaves, which served the purpose of cotton. This well describes these plants. They have all beautifully soft woolly leaves ; and, on account of the permanence of the form and colour of their dry flowers, are called " Ever- lasting."

Filago germanica — Common cotton rose. Gaelic and Irish : /iat// /us roid, the gall (or wormwood) grey weed.

1 The occasional occurrence of Gothic roots in plants' names in tlie Western Highlands and Isles, is accounted for by the conquest of these parts by the Norwegians in tlie ninth century, and iha fact of their rule existing tliere for at least two centuries under the sway of the Norwegian kings of Man and the Isles.

41

Petasites vulgaris — Butter-bur, pestilence-wort. Gaelic and Irish : gallon ?7ibr, the big branch, possibly referring to its large leaf. Greek : yaXaj/09, mast. Danish : gala/i, a stripling. Fobal, more correctly ///■(^rt'/. Welsh: pabel, a tent, a covering.

" Shidhich iad am ptha'//.'" — Ossian. They pitched their tents.

The Greek name, Trerao-os, a broad covering, in allusion to its large leaves, which are larger than that of any other British plant, and form an excellent shelter for small animals.

Tussilago farfara — Colt's foot. Gaelic : cluas Hath, grey ear ; gorm Hath, greyish green; duilliur spuing, the tinder-leaf. " Cho tioram ri spuing.''^ As dry as tinder.

The leaf, dipped in saltpetre and then dried, made e.xcellent tinder or touchwood. Gaelic and Irish : fathan or athan, mean- ing fire. It was used for lighting fire. The leaves w'ere smoked before the introduction of tobacco, and still form the principal ingredient in the British herb tobacco. Gallan-greannchair {gallan, see " Petasites ; " greann, hair standing on end, a beard), probably referring to its pappus. Irish : cassachdaighe (O'Reilly), a remedy for a cough {casachd, a cough ; aighe or ice, a remedy). " The leaves smoked, or a syrup or decoction of them and the flowers, stand recommended in coughs and other disorders of the breast and lungs " (Lightfoot). Welsh : cam y ebol {earn, hoof, and ebol, foal or colt), colt's-foot.

Senecio vulgaris — Groundsel. Gaelic : atn bualan, from bual, a remedy. Lus Phàra liath^ grey Peter's-weed, a name suggested by its aged appearance, even in the spring-time. Latin : senecio. Welsh : beti-felaji, sly woman. Sail bhiiinn {sail, a heel ; buinn, an ulcer). " The Highlanders use it externally in cataplasms as a cooler, and to bring on suppurations " (Lightfoot). Gninnasg (from gruniid, ground ; German : grund). Welsh : grunsel.

" Muran brioghar s'an ^;-;/««í7j-^ lionmhor."- — M'Intvre. The sappy carrot and the plentiful groundsel.

Irish : crann lus, the plough-weed. Buafanan na /i easgaran

^ In Breadalbane, Glenlyon, and other places, the plant is called Lus Phara Hath —

" Liis Phara Hath cuiridh e ghoimh as a chraimh."' The groundsel will extinguish acute pain in the bone — it being frequently applied as a cure for rheumatic pains. F

{Iniaf, a toad, a serpent, but in this name evidently a corruption from bualan, a remedy, or buadii, to overcome ; easgaraii, the plague), a remedy for the plague. A name given also to the ragwort.

S. Jacobaea — Ragwort. Gaelic and Irish : biead/ilan hiiidhe (from biiadh, to overcome ; buidhe, yellow) ; biiadlighallan, the stripling or branch that overcomes \ guiseag b/midhe, or cuiseag, the yellow - stalked plant ; cuiseag, a stalk. Welsh : Uysiii'r ysgyfarnog, the hare's plant ; ilysiiir nedir, the serpent's weed — agreeing with one of its Irish names, buafauan, — biiaf, a serpent or toad.

Inula Helenium — Elecampane, said to be from the offici- nal name, inula campana, but probably a corruption of Helén- ula. Little Helen (Jones). Greek : èÀevos, the elecampane. Gaelic : ail/can, from àilie, beautiful, handsome. Irish : Ellea (Gaelic, Eilidh), Helen. The famous Helen of Troy, who is said to have availed herself of the cosmetic properties of the plant. Cream/i, sometimes, but more generally applied to Allium ursiiuun (which see).

Bellis perennis — Daisy. Gaelic and Irish : ncoinan, or noinean, the noon-flower (from iiohi, noon; Welsh : 7iawn ; Latin: noiia, the ninth hour, from novem, ninth. The ninth hour, or three in the afternoon, was the noon of the ancients).

" 'San nioincan beag's mo lamh air cluin."— Mian a Bhard Aosda. And the little daisy surrounding my hillock. Buidheag (in Perthshire), the little yellow one.

" Geibh sinn a bhiiidheag %^\\ Ion." — Old Song. We shall find the daisy in the meadow.

Gugan (Armstrong), a daisy, a bud, a flower.

Chrysanthemum segetum — Corn - marigold. Gaelic : bile buidhe^ the yellow blossom. Bilcach cJioigreach, the stranger or foreigner. Liathaii, Irish, lia, the hoary grey one (from Greek Aetos ; Welsh : llwyd), on account of the light-grey appearance of the plant, expressed botanically by the term glaucous. An dithean bir, the golden flower, or chrysanthemum {^pva-os, gold; ai'^09, a flower).

" Mar mhin-chioch nan or dhitheaii beag."

Like the tender breast of the little marigold. " Do dhithcan lurach luaineach

.Mar thuarneagan de'n 'or." — M'DONALD. Thy lovely marigolds like waving cups of gold.

43

Dìt/iean is frequently used in a general sense for " flower," also for " darnel."

" Tlr nan ifithcan miadar daite." Land of flowers, meadow dyed. '* Dìtheiìi nan gleann. " The flowers of the valley.

\\^elsh : gold iiiair, marigold. Irish : buafanan biiidht\ the yellow toad.

C. leucanthemum — Ox-eye. Gaelic : an tieonan mòr, the big daisy. Am breinean-brothach ^ {bréijie, stench ; brothach, scabby). Easbiiigban, from Irish easbudh, silly, idle {easbudh brothach, the King's-evil). This plant was esteemed an excellent remedy for that complaint. Irish : easbuig speaiii {Speam ox Easbain. Spain).

Anthemis nobilis — Common chamomile. Camo/nhil, from the Greek xa/^-ai yw-v/Aos, which Pliny informs us was applied to the plant on account of its smelling hke apples. (Spanish : viancinilla, a little apple.) Lus-7ian-cam-bhil (M'Kenzie), the plant with drooping flowers. The plant is well distinguished by its flowers, which droop, or are bent do^cn, before expansion ; but though the name is thus applicable, it is only a corruption from the Greek.

" Bi'dh mionntain, f<7Wiiw//?7 s'sobhraichean

Geur bhileach, lonach, luasganach." — M'Intyre. There will be mints, chamomile, and primroses, Sliarp-leaved, prattling, restless. '

Luibh-leighis, the healing plant. This plant is held in consider- able repute, both in the popular and scientific Materia Medica.

A. pyrethruin — Pellitory of Spain. Gaelic : his na Spáíne, the Spanish weed.

A. arvensis — Field chamomile. Irish: avnan viionla {comaii, a common ; mionla, fine-foliaged. Gaelic : rnin lach).

Matricaria inodora — Scentless May-weed. Gaelic : buidheag ail arbhair, tlie corn daisy. Camo7nhit feadhain, wild chamomile. Welsh : llygad yr ych, ox-eye.

Tanacetuin vulgare — Tansy. Gaelic: Ins na Frahig, the French weed. (French, tanaisie.) Irish: tamhsae, corruptions {rom A thanasta. (Greek: a, privative, and OavaTos, death, i.e., a plant which does not perish — a name far from apphcable to this species).

Eupatorium cannabinum — Hemp agrimony. Gaelic and

1 Breinean-brothach was probably also applied to A. cotula, for which there is no Gaelic name recorded.

Irish : iiiaib iiisge or caineab uisgL\ water-hemp (from Greek Kai'mySts ; Latin, cannabis, hemp ; the root can, white).

Bidens cernua — Bur marigold. Irish : sceachog Mhiiire, Mary's haw.

Achillea ptarmica — Sneezewort. Gaehc : cniaidJi his, hard weed. (Latin: cnuius, hard, inflexible). Mcacan ragaim, the stiff plant. Roibhe, moppy.

A. millefolium — Yarrow. Gaelic : his chosgadh na fola, the plant that stops bleeding. Lus na fohi, the blood weed. Earr thahnhainn, that which clothes the earth {eat-r, clothe, array). Athair ihalmhainn, the ground father. Cathah- thahnhamn, the ground seat or chair. Probably alterations of earr (for thahn- hainn see Biiniiwi flexiiositin).

" Cathair thaliiihainii''s carbhin chioc-cheannach." — M 'In tyre. The yarrow and the horny-headed caraway.

Solidago virgaurea — Golden rod. Gaelic : fuinseag coille Ì A name given by Shaw to the herb called *' Virgo pastoris." Also one of the names of the mountain-ash {Pynis aiiciiparia, which see).

Jasione montana — Sheep - bit. Gaelic : dubhan nan caora (O'Reilly). Dubhan, a kidney ; caora, sheep.

Campanulace^. Campanula- — Gaelic : barr-cinigeajinach, bell-flowered. " Barr-cluigeannach-sinnteach gorm-bhileach." Bell-flowered extended, blue-petalled.

C. rotundifolia — Round-leaved bell-flower. Gaelic : brog na ciibhaig, the cuckoo's shoe. Am phtran chiigeannach, the bell- like flower. ^Velsh : byscdd cllyilon, imp's fingers. Scotch : witch's thimbles.

Lobelia dortmanna — Water-lobelia. Flùr an lochain, the lake- flower.

Ericace^.

Erica tetralix — Cross-leaved heath. Gaelic : fraochfrangach, French heath. Fraoch an ruinnse, rinsing heath ; a bunch of its stems tied together makes an excellent scouring brush, the other kinds being too coarse. {Fraoch, anciently /rí?ír//.) Welsh: grf/g. Greek : ipeiKu), ereiko, to break, from the supposed qual- ity of some of the species in breaking the stone (medicinally). The primary meaning seems to be to burst, to break, and appears to be cognate with the Latin, fractuni. F7-aoch also means

45

wrath, fury, hunger. '■'■ Laoc/i l>ii g/iarg fraoth" (Ull.), a hero of the fiercest wrath. '■'■ Fraoch !'" fury, the war-cry of the M'Donalds.

E. vagans — Cornish heath. Celtic : goonclcg (Dr Hooker), the bee's resort.

E. cinerea — Smooth-leaved heath. Gaelic : fraoch hhadaiii, the tufted heath.

" Barr a.nj7iraoch bhadanaich." — Old SoNr,. The top of the tufted heath. " Gur badanach caoineil niileanta Cruinn mopach, mln cruth, inongoineach Fraoch groganach, dii dhonn gris dearg. " — M'Intvre. Literally —

That heatl) so tufty, mellow, sweet-lipped, Round, moppy, delicate, ruddy. Stumpy, brown, and purple.

Fraoch an dearrasain, the heath that makes a rustling or buzzing sound.

The badge of Clan M'Donald.

Calluna vulgaris — Ling heather. Gaelic : fraoch. Heath or heather is still applied to many important domestic purposes, thatching houses, &c., and " the hardy Highlanders frequently make their beds with it — the roots down and the tops upwards —and formerly tanned leather, dyed yarn, and even made a kind of ale from its tender tops." Langa (M'Kenzie), ling.

Arbutus uva - ursi — Red bearberry. Gaelic : graitinseag, small, grain-like. It has small red berries, which are a favourite food for moorfowl. Braoileag nan con, the dogs' berr}'.

A. alpina — The black bearberry. Gaelic : grainnseag dhnhh, the black grain-like berry.

A. unedo — Strawberry-tree. Irish: caithne (O'Uonovan). Caithiin, I eat or consume.

Vaccinium myrtillus — Whortleberry. Gaelic: Ins nan dearc, the berry plant {dearc,^ a berry). Gearr-dhearc, sour berry. Fraochan, that which grows among the heather. The berries are used medicinally by the Highlanders, and made into tarts and jellies, which last is mixed with whisky to give it a relish for strangers. Dearcati-fithich, the raven's berries.

V. vitis • idaea — Cowberry ; red whortleberry ; cranberry.

^ Originally from dearc, the eye ; Sansk., dare, to see. The dark fruit resembling the pupil of the eye — hence the frequent comparisons of the eye {shil) to this fruit (dearcng) in Gaelic poetry.

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Gaelic : liis /lain uroig/ilecig. Irish : hraig/ilcog (from braig/i, top, summit, a mountain), the mountain-plant ; ordinary signification, a berry. Bó-d/iearc, cowberry. {''''Bo, a cow, from which the Greeks derived /soos, an ox" — Armstrong.) Latin: vacca and vacciniuin.

"Do leacan chaoimhneil gu dearcach brioghlcagach.'' Thy gentle slopes abounding with whortleberries and cowberries.

Badge of Clan M'Leod.

V. oxycoccos — Cranberry. Gaelic and Irish : viuUeag, a word meaning a little frog ; the frogberry. It flourishes best in boggy situations. Fraoc/iag, because it grows among the heather. Monog, bog or peat berry. Mio/iag, the small berry.

V. uliginosum — The bogberry. Gaelic : dearc roidc, the gall or bitter berry. The fruit abounds with an acid juice ; when the ripe fruit is eaten, it occasions headache and giddiness.

Ileace.í:. Ilex aquifolium— Holly. Gaelic and Irish : ciiilcaitu. Welsh : cclyn. A.-S, : holegii. (C in Gaelic corresponds with h in the Germanic languages.) Ciil, guard, defence ; ctiil, that which prohibits. Compare also cicilg, gen. of colg, a prickle, or any sharp pointed thing. The lower leaves of this tree are very prickly, and thus guard against cattle eating the young shoots. Welsh : celyii, tree, shelterer or protector ; eel, conceal, shelter, cover.

" Ma theid thu liiisgte tioimh thorn dioighinn 'S coiseachd cas-lom air/r<;'<?j cuilcann Cadal gun lein' air an eanntaig,

'S racadal itheadh gunn draing ort," (\;c. — Blar Shunadail. If you go naked through a thorn thicket, And walk barefooted on the Jiolly, Sleep without a shirt on the nettle, And eat horse-radish without a grin, òcc.

OLEACEyE.

Olea europsea — European olive. Gaelic and Irish : eraiiii oladh or ola (Greek : «Aata, a word, according to Du Theis, derived from the Celtic 3 Welsh : oleu), the oil-tree.

" Sgaoilidh e gheugan, agus bithidh a mhaise mar an cranti-oladh.'''

"He will spread his branches, and his beauty shall be as the olive tree.'''' — IIosEA xiv. 6.

Syringa vulgaris— Lilac tree. Gaelic : eraobh Hath ghonn, the lilac-tree.

Ligustrum vulgare— Privet. Gaelic : ras chrann sir nine, the

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evergreen shrubbery-tree, /'/v'í'/w/í/ (M- Donald). (Latin : //7- vatiis \ Irish : priobhaid, secrecy, privacy). Its chief use is to form hedges that are required for shelter, ornament, and privacy. Fraxinus excelsior — Ash. Gael and Irish : craobh uinn- seann. Irish: i/hiscanu, uimhscann, alter ed into /ninse, /if I'/iseafi, fuinseog.

" Gabhaidh an t' niiniscaun as an àllt

'S a chàlltuinn as a phreas." — Proveri!.

The ash will kindle out of the burn,

And tlie hazel out of the bush.

Welsh : oncti, corresponding to another Irish name, nion. Gaelic : nuiu., and also oinsean. The names refer principally to the wood, and the primary idea seems to be lasting, long- continuing, on (in Welsh), that which is in continuity. Uhn/i, number ; seann, ancient, old ; lime, time, season. Ntci?i, also the letter N. Heb., nun. Fuinnseann (see Cinoza), though from the same root, may have been suggested by its frequent use in the charms and enchantments so common in olden times, espe- cially against the bites of serpents, and the influence of the " Old Serpent." Pennant, in 1772, mentions : " In many parts of the Highlands, at the birth of a child, the nurse puts the end of a green stick of ash into the fire, and while it is burning, receives into a spoon the sap or juice which oozes out at the other end, and administers this to the new-born babe." Serpents were supposed to have a special horror of its leaves.

" Theid an nathair troimh an teine dhearg Mu'n teid i troimh dhuilleach an iiinnsinn." The serpent will go through fire, rather than through the leaves of the ash. The same superstition was equally common in other countries, and the name " ash," which is said to be from the Celtic word cesc, a pike, is more likely to be frorn the word asc, a snake, an adder. 1 German : die esche. The badge of Clan Menzies.

Gentianace.e. Gentiana campestris — Field gentian. Gaelic : his a chridmin, the crouching plant, or the plant good for the disease called crnbain, " which attacks cows, and is supposed to be produced

1 In Scandinavian mythology the first man was called Ask, and the first woman Ambla — ash and elm. The court of the gods is represented in the Edda as held under an ash— Yggdrasil. Connected with these circumstances probably arose the superstitions.— Chambers's Encvclop.í:dia.

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by hard grass, scanty pasture, or other causes. The cows become lean and weak, with their hind-legs contracted towards the fore- feet, as if pulled by a rope" (Armstrong). This plant, in common with others of this genus, acts as an excellent tonic ; its qualities were well known in olden times. Welsh : crwynl/ys, bent-weed ; cryfi, bend, curve. Gaelic : creamh, is given also as a name for gentian.

" 'N cieamh na chaiaichean, Am bac nan staidhvachean." — M'Intvre.

Which Dr Armstrong translates, "gentian in beds or plots." The name creamh also applies to the leek. Creainh, hart's-tongue fern, garlic, and elecampane. Welsh : craf, garlic.

Erythrsea, from epvOpo-;, erythros, red flowers.

E. centaurium — Centuary; red gentian. Irish: ceadharlach (O'Reilly), the centaui-. It is said that with this plant Chiron cured the wound caused by the arrows of Hercules in the Centaur's foot. Gaelic, according to Armstrong : ceud bhileac/i, meaning hundred-leaved, a corruption of the Irish name {Ceud, Irish : ceadh ; Latin : centum, a hundred), — the origin of the name being probably misunderstood.

E. littoralis — Dwarf tufted centuary. Gaelic and Irish : dreim- ire muire, the sea-side scrambler. Dreim, climb, clamber, scramble : muire ; Latin : viare ; German : ineer, the sea.

Chlora perfoliata — Yellow-wort. Gaelic and Irish : dreimire buidhe, the yellow scrambler. Not in the Higlilands, but found in Ireland, whence the name.

Menyanthes trifoliata— Bog-bean, buck-bean, marsh trefoil. Gaelic and Irish : ponair chapull, the mare's bean. (See Faba.) Pacharaii chapull, the mare's packs or wallets, from pac, a pack, a wallet, a bundle. Tribhileach, the three-leaved plant. Mill- sean inoiiaidh, the sweet plant of the hill.

' 'Millseincach, biolaireach sobhrach. " — M 'Lachuinn. Abounding in bog-beans, cresses, primroses.

" The Highlanders esteem an infusion or tea of the leaves as good to strengthen a weak stomach" (Stuart).

CONVOLVULACE/E.

Convolvulus arvensis — Field bindweed. Gaelic : iadh his, the plant that surrounds. (See Hedera helix.)

0. sepium— Great bindweed. Gaelic and Irish: dull vihial (Shaw), from did, catch with a loop ; and viial, a louse, — really signifying the plant that creeps and holds by twining.

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Cuscuta epilinum— Flax dodder. Irish : damhainin lin, the flax kites. It is parasitical on flax, to the crops of which it is sometimes very destructive. Cunach or (Gaelic) cojiac/i, that which covers, as a shirt, a disease. A general name applicable to all the species. Welsh : /Puidag, the flax choker.

SOLANACE^.

Solanum dulcamara — Bitter-sweet ; woody nightshade. Gaelic and Irish : seaii>/iag vihilis, bitter-sweet (Highland Society's Dic- tionary). Ftiath gorm, the blue demon [fiiaih, hate, aversion, a demon). Miotag b/uudhe. Irish: miat/wg bind/ie,Ú\Q ytWow m^^ex, pincher, or biter. Slat ghorm [slat, a wand, a switch ; gonn, blue).

S. tuberosum — Potato. Gaelic : bi/n-tata, adaptation of the Spanish batata. Sir John M'Gregor has ingeniously rendered the word btin-taghta, a choice root !

Atropa belladona — Deadly nightshade ; dwale banewort. Gaelic and Irish : /iis ?ia h'oid/iche, the nightweed, on account of its large black berries and its somniferous qualities. Buchanan relates the destruction of the army of Sweno, the Dane, when he invaded Scotland, by the berries of this plant, which were mixed with the drink with which, by their truce, they were to supply the Danes, which so intoxicated them that the Scots killed the greater part of the Danish army while they were asleep. Welsh : y gysiadiir, the putter to sleep.

Hyoscyamus niger — Henbane. Gaelic and Irish: gafann {gabhaiiìì), the dangerous one. Dethcogha, deodha, deo, breath, that which is destructive to life. Caoc/i-naii-cearc, that which blinds the hens. Its seeds are exceedingly obnoxious to poultry, hence the English name henbane. The whole plant is a dan- gerous narcotic. Welsh : slewyg yr iàr, preventing or curing faintness.

SCROPHULARIACE^.

Verbascum thapsus — Mullein ; hag's taper ; cow's lungwort. Gaelic and Irish : aiineal Mkiiire, or cuhigeal Mhuireiixoxa cuing, asthma, or shortness of breath. In pulmonary diseases of cattle it is found to be of great use, hence the name, cow's lungwort, or ciiinge, narrowness, straightness, from its high, tapering stem ; Mhiiire, Mary's).

Veronica beccabunga — Erooklime. Gaelic : lochal, from loch, a lake, a pool, the pool-weed or lake-weed, being a water-plant. Lothal (Jo, water). Irish : biolar vihidn, the contemptible cress ; 7)iùiì, urine. Welsh : UycJilys y divfr, squatter in the water.

5°

V. officinale — Common speedwell. Gaelic and Irish : Ins cr'e, the dust-weed. Seamar chre (see Oxalis).

V. anagallis — Water-speedwell. Irish : fualac/itar, fual, water, the one that grows in the water.

Euphrasia officinalis — Eyebright. Gaelic : /us nan ieac, the hillside plant ; leac, a declivity. Soillseachd nan sùil, soillse na snl (M'Donald), that which brightens the eye. Rein an ruisg (Stuart), water for the eye. Glati mis, the eye-cleaner. Lightfoot mentions that the Highlanders of Scotland make an infusion of it in milk, and anoint the patient's eyes with a feather dipped in it, as a cure for sore eyes. Irish : radharcain {rad/iairc), sense of sight. Lin radharc [lin, the eye, wet), the eye wetter or washer, Jiaei7niji-rad/iairc {reini, power, authority), that which has power over the sight. Rois?iifi, rosg, the eye, eyesight. Caoimifi [caoimh), clean. Welsh : gloywlys, the bright plant. 'Llysieuyn eiifras, the herb Euphrasia (from evc^paivw, euphraino, to delight, from the supposition of the plant curing blindness). Arnoldus de Villa saith, " It has restored sight to them that have been blind a long time before ; and if it were but as much used as it is neglected, it would half spoil the spectacle trade " (Culpepper).

Pedicularis sylvatica — Dwarf red rattle. Irish: lusan grolla.

P. palustris — Louse-wort ; red rattle. Gaelic : lus riahhach, the brindled plant, possibly a contraction qì riabhdheargach (Irish), red-streaked, a name which well describes the appearance of the plant. Modhalan dearg, the red modest one. Lus na viial, louse-wort, from the supposition that sheep that feed upon it become covered with vermin. Bainne ghab/iar, goat's milk, from the idea that when goats feed on it they yield more milk. Its beautiful pink flowers were used as a cosmetic.

" Sail-chuach 's bainne ghabhar, Suadh li t' agliaidh, 'S clia n' neil mac ligh air an domhaln, xNachbi airdodlieidh."

Rub thy face with violet and t^oat's milk, And there is no prince in the world Who will not follow thee.

Rhinanthus crista-galli— The yellow rattle. Gaelic : modh- alan b/iuid/ie, the yellow modest one. Bodach na claiginn. Irish : bodan na doigin, the old man with the skulls. C/aigeann or (Irish) doigoin, a skull, from the skull like appearance of its inflated calyces.

Scrophularia nodosa — Figwort. Gaelic : ins nan cnapan, the

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knobbed plant, from its knobbed roots. Old Englisli : kernel- wort. JDonn-lus, brown-wort, from the brown tinge of the leaves. Farach dubh {farac/ia, Irish), a beetle or mallet ; diib/i, dark. Wasps and beetles resort greatly to its small mallet-like flowers. Irish : fair tun {fot,fofhac/i), glandered — from the resemblance of its roots to tumours. In consequence of this resemblance it was esteemed a remedy for all scrofulous diseases; hence the generic name Scrophidaria.

Digitalis purpurea — Foxglove. Gaelic : his-ììain-ban-sìth, the fairy women's plant. Mcuran stth (Stuart), the fairy thimble. Irish : mi siothan {sioth, Gaelic : sìtJì) means peace. Sithich, a fairy, the most active sprite in Highland and Irish mythology. Meiiraii ^ nan daoine inarbh, dead men's thimbles. Aleuran- nan caillich mharbha, dead women's thimbles. In Skye it is called ciochan nan cailleachan marblia (Nicolson), the dead old women's paps. Irish : sian sleibhc. {Staji, a charm or spell, a wise one, a fox ; sleib/ie, a hill). Welsh : nienyg ellyllon, fairy's glove. O'Reilly gives another Irish name, bolgan beic (diminutive of bolg, a sack, a bag. Greek, BoAyo?, beic, bobbing, curtseying). And frequently in the Highlands the plant is known by the familiar name, an lus mor, the big plant. Liis a bhalgah- (Aberfeldy), the fox-weed.

Orobanxhace.-e.

(From Greek, opo^o9, orobos, a vetch, and ayx'^'^^'^ to strangle, in allusion to the effect of these parasites in smothering and de- stroying the plants on which they grow.) The name miichog (from viùcli smother, extinguish, suffocate) is applied to all the species. 0. major and minor — Broom-rape. Irish and Gaelic : siorra- lac/i, (Shaw) — sior, vetches, being frequently parasitical on legu- minous plants ; or siorrac/id, rape.

Verbenace.'E. Verbena officinalis — Vervain, Gaelic and Irish : tronddiod, — ironi, a corruption oi di-iini, from Sanscrit dm, wood; hence Latin, drus, an oak, and bod or boid, a vow. Welsh : dderiven fendigaid, literally, blessed oak, — the " herba sacra " of the ancients. Ver- vain was employed in the religious ceremonies of the Druids. Vows were made and treaties were ratified by its means. "After- wards all sacred evergreens, and aromatic herbs, such as holly,

1 Meuran and digitalis (iligitabidum) , a thimble, in allusion to the form of the flower.

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rosemary, <S:c., used to adorn the altars, were included under the term verbena" (Brockie). This will account for the name trom- bhod being given by O'Reilly as "vervain mallow;" M'Kenzie, " ladies' mantle ; " and Armstrong, " vervain."

Labiat/E. (From Latin, labium^ a lij), plants with lipped corollas.) Gaelic : iusan h'peach, or bileach.

Mentha — (From Greek Mtv^??, inhithe. A nymph of that name who was changed into mint by Prosperine, in a fit of jealousy, from whom the Gaelic name iniomit has been derived.) Welsh : ììiyiifys.

Mentha sylvestris — Horse-mint. Gaelic : iiiioiiiit cac/i, horse- mint; ìiiiouìit fiadhaiii., wild mint; and if growing in woods, mionnt choille^ wood-mint.

M. arvensis — Corn-mint. Gaelic : i/iionut an arbhair, corn- mint.

M. aquatica — Water -mint. Gaelic: cairtcal. Irish: carial, ùviloi/i, probably meaning the water - purifier, from the verb cartavi, to cleanse, and loin, a rivulet, or /cv/, a marsh or swampy ground. Misiniean dearg (Armstrong), the rough red mint. The whole plant has a reddish appearance when young.

M. viridis — Garden-mint, spear-mint. Gaelic: mionnt g/ià- raidh, the same meaning ; and mcanntas, another form of the same name, but not commonly used.

" Oir a ta sibli a toirl. an deacliaimh as a mhionnt." — Stu.\rt. For ye take tithe of mint.

M. pulegium — Pennyroyal. Gaelic : /iV^V////// riog/tai/, the same meaning.

" Am bearnan bride 's a//ìei^/nnn-n'og/iaì7.''—'M'lsTYRE. The dandelion and \\\& pennyroyal.

Welsh : aditddlys, herb good for the bowels. Bail y gzvaed, blood leaf

Calamintha — Basil-thyme, calamint. Gaelic : calanicilt (from Greek, KaXos, beautiful; and ixlvOyj, niinthc, mint), beautiful mint. Welsh : Llysie y gaf/i, cat-wort.

Rosmarinus oflB.cinalis — Common rosemary. Gaelic : ros Mhuirc. Irish : rbs-mar — mar-j-os, sea-dew, corruptions from the Latin {ros, dew, and mmdniis), the sea-dew. Ros Mhairi, Mary's rose, or rosemary. Welsh : ros Mair. Among Celtic tribes rose- mary was the symbol of fidelity with lovers. It was frequently

worn at weddings. In Wales it is still distributed among friends at funerals, who throw the sprigs into the grave over the coffin.

Lavendula spica — Common lavender. Gaelic: ius-na-iùise, the incense plant, on account of its fragrant odour. Aji lus liaf/i, the grey weed. Lothail, " uisge an /oihail" lavender-water.

Satureia hortensis — Garden savory. Gaelic: garbkag g/iàr- aidìi, the coarse or rough garden plant, from garb/i, rough, &c.

Salvia verbenacea — Clary. The Gaelic and Irish name, tormafi, applies to the genus as well as to this plant ; it simply means " the shrubby one " {tor, a bush or shrub). The genus consists of herbs or undershrubs, which have generally a rugose appear- ance. A mucilage was produced from the seeds of this plant, which, applied to the- eye, had the reputation of clearing it of dust; hence the English name, " clear-eye," clary (Gaelic : chare, bright).

S. officinalis — Garden-sage (of which there are many varieties). Gaelic : aihair Hath, the grey father. Sàisde (from sage). Sliin lus, the healing plant, corresponding with salvia (Latin : salvere, to save). It was formerly of great repute in medicine. Armstrong remarks : " Bha barail ro mhòr aig na sean Eadalltich do 'n lus so, mar a chithear o'n rann a leanas, —

" Cur moriatur homo cui salvia crescÌL in horto ?" C arson a gheibheadh duine bàs, Aig am bheil sàisde fas na gharaidh ? Why should the man die who has sage growing in his garden ?

Teucrium scorodonia — Wood - sage. Gaelic : sdisde coille, wood-sage. Sàisde fiadhahi, wild sage. O'Reilly gives the name ebeirsluaigh, perhaps from obai', shall be refused, and sluagh, people, multitude, because it did not possess the virtues attri- buted to the other species, and even cattle refuse to eat it.

Thymus serpyllum — Thyme, wild thyme. Gaelic and Irish : lus mhic righ Bhreatahin, the plant belonging to the king of Britain's son. Lus an righ,\X\t king's plant. This plant had the reputation of giving courage and strength through its smell ; hence the English thyme (from Greek : ^vyu-os, thymos, courage, strength, — virtues which were essential to kings and princes in olden times). Highlanders take an infusion of it to prevent dis- agreeable dreams, ^^'elsh : teini.

Origanum i yuig^re^^ ( — ^í^'iijoiam. Gaelic and Irish: ora- ^'•i?//, the delight of the mountain. Greek: opos, oros. Gaelic : ard, a mountain ; a.nd GveGk, yai'o<i, ganos, joy. Gaelic: ^í^'-íz//;, clapping

54

of hands. Lus iiiharsalaidh, the merchant's weed, may only be a corrupted form of marjoram, from an Arabic word {inarya- iiiych). Seathbhog, the skin or hide softener {seathad/i, a skin, a hide, and bog, soft). "Tlie dried leaves are used in fomentations, the essential oil is so acrid that it may be considered as a caustic, and was formerly used as such by farriers " (Don). Welsh : _>» bcnn/dd, ruddy-headed.

0. dictamnus — Dittany. The Gaelic and Irish name, lus a phiobaire — given in the dictionaries for " dittany " — is simply a corruption of his aphei/bah', the pepperwort, and was in all prob- ability applied to varieties of Lepidium as well as to Origanum dic- tainui crefi, whose fabulous qualities are described in Virgil's 12th ' yEneid,' and in Cicero's ' De Natura Deorum.'

Hyssopus officinalis— Common hyssop. Gaelic: /><?/. French: hysope. German : isop. Italian : isopo (from the Hebrew name, 31TX5 t'Si?/^, or Arabian, azzoj).

" Glan mi le Ji isop, .igus bithidh me glan. " Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean.

Ajuga reptans — Bugle. Gaelic : vieacan dubh Jiadhain (Arm- strong), the dusky wild plant. Welsh : glesyn y coed, wood-blue.

Nepeta glechoma — Ground- ivy. Gaelic: iadh shlat thabn- /laiun, the ground-ivy. (See Hedera helix, and Bunium flexuo- suin). Nathair lus, the serpent-weed, — it being supposed to be efficacious against the bites of serpents; hence the generic name, Nepeta, from iiepa, a scorpion. Irish : aignean thahnhuin {aigne, affection, thahnhuin, the ground); eidJmean thahnhuin (see Hedera helix).

Ballota niger — Stinking horehound. Irish and Gaelic : grà- fan oxgràbhan dubh, the dark opposer {grab, to hinder or obstruct). It was a favourite medicine for obstructions of the viscera : or it may refer to grab, a notch, from its indented leaves.

Lycopus europseus — Water-horehound. Irish : feoran curraidh, the green marsh-plant {ctirrach, a marsh).

Marrubium vulgare— White horehound. Gaelic and Irish : gràfan or gràbhan ban, the white indented, &c. (See Ballota nigcr).

Lamium album — White dead-nettle; archangel. Gaelic: tcanga mhin, the smooth tongue. lonntag bhàn, white nettle. lountag mhàrbh, dead nettle. (For lonntag see Uriica.)

L. purpureum — The red dead - nettle. Gaelic : ionntag dhearg, red nettle.

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Galeopsis tetrahit— Common hemp-nettle. Gaelic: an gath dubh, the dark bristly plant {gath, a sting, a dart). It becomes black when dry, and has black seeds.

G. versicolor — Large-flowered hemp-nettle. Gaelic : an gath buidhe, — an gath inor, the yellow bristly plant — the large bristly plant. Very abundant in the Highlands, and troublesome to the reapers at harvest-time, from its bristly character. It is called yellow on account of its large yellow flower, with a purple spot on the lower lip.

Stachys betonica— Wood-betony. Gaelic : lits bheathag, the life-plant, nourishing plant (from Irish: beatha ; Greek: ^uara; Latin : vita,—\\ÍQ, food). " Betonic, a Celtic word ; ben, head, and ton, good, or tonic " (Sir W. J. Hooker). Biatas (from biadh, feed, nourish, maintain). '' A precious herb, comfortable both in meat and medicine " (Culpepper). Ghisair coille, the wood green one. The green leaves' were used as a salad : any kind of salad was called glasag.

S. sylvatica — Wound-wort. Gaelic : his nan scorr, the wound- wort {scon-, a cut made by a knife or any sharp instrument). Irish : caubsadan.

Prunella vulgaris — Self-heal. Gaelic and Irish : dubhan ceann chosach, also diibhanuith. These names had probably reference to its effects as a healing plant. " It removes all obstructions of the liver, spleen, and kidneys " {dubhan, a kidney, darkness ; ceann, head, and cosach, spongy or porous). Shin his, healing plant. Lus a chridh, the heart-weed. Irish : ceanabha?t-beg, the little fond dame; cean, fond, elegant, and ban, woman, wife, dame.

BORAGINACE/E.

Borago officinalis — Borage. Gaelic and Irish: borrach, bor- raist, borra/gh, all these forms are evidently derived from borago, altered from the Latin, cor, the heart, and ago, to act or effect. The plant was supposed to give courage, and to strengthen the action of the heart ; " it was one of the four great cordials." Borr in Gaelic means to bully or swagger ; and borrach, a haughty man, a man of courage. Welsh : llaivenllys {llawen, merry, joyful), the joyful or glad plant.

Lycopsis arvensis — Bugloss. Gaelic : his-teang' an davnh, ox-tongue. Boghis, corruption of bolg, an ox; his, a plant. Welsh : tafod yr ych, the same meaning. Biigloss, from Greek fiov^, boiis, an ox, and yÀwo-o-a, glossa, a tongue, in reference to the roughness and shape of the leaves.

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Myosotis palustris — Marsh scorpion -grass or forget-me-not. Gaelic and Irish : cotharach, the protector {cotkadh, protection); perhaps the form of the racemes of flowers, which, when young, bend over the plant as if protecting it. Ltis ?mm mini, the louse- plant, — probably a corruption from jniagh, esteem. Lus midhe (O'Reilly), a sentimental plant that has always been held in high esteem.

Symphytum officinale— Com frey. Gaelic: vieacayi dub/i, the large or dark plant. Irish : lus na ccnamh briste, the plant for broken bones. The root of comfrey abounds in mucilage, and was considered an excellent remedy for uniting broken bones. "Yea, it is said to be so powerful to consolidate and knit to- gether, that if they be boiled with dissevered pieces of flesh in a pot, it will join them together again " (Culpepper).

Echium vulgare — Viper's bugloss. Boglus (see Lycopsis) and us na iiaf/irath, the viper's plant.

Cynoglossum officinale — Common hound's - tongue. Gaelic and Irish: teanga con (O'Reilly). Teanga c/iù, dog's - tongue. Welsh : tafod y ci, same meaning. Greek : cy7ioglossum {kvwv, kyon, a dog, and yAwo-cra, glossa, a tongue), name suggested from the form of the leaves.

PiNGUICULACEvE.

Pinguicula vulgaris — Bog-violet. Gaelic : bj-og na cub/iaig, the cuckoo's shoe, from its violet like flower. Badan measga?i, the butter mixer ; badan, a little tuft, and ineasgan, a little butter-dish ; or measg, to mix, to stir about. On cows' milk it acts like rennet. Lus a bhainne, the milk-wort. It is believed it gives consistence to milk by straining it through the leaves. Uac/idar, surface, top, cream, — a name given because it was supposed to thicken tlie cream.

PRniULACE^.

Primula vulgaris — Primrose. Gaelic : sob/irac/i, sobhrag.

"A sJtohhrach, geal-bhiii nam bruachag, Gur fan-gheal, snughar, do ghniiis ! Chinneas badanach, cluasach, Maoth-mhin, baganta luaineach. Bi'dh tu t-eideadh sa'n earrach 'S 'each ri falach an sill." — M'DONALD. Pale yellow primrose of the bank, So pure and beautiful thine appearance ! Growing in chmips, round-leaved,

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Tender, soft, clustered, waving ; Thou wilt be dressed in the spring When the rest are hiding in the bud.

The Irish name soghradhach (Shaw), means amiable, lovely, acceptable. The Gaelic names have the same meaning. Sohh or subh, pleasure, delight, joy. Soradh, soirigh, are contractions ; also samhanan. Irish : saiuharcain {sam/ias, delight, pleasure).

"Am bi na samln-aicheaii s" neoinean fann." — Old Song. " Gu trie anns' na bhuinn sinn a t' sòracli." — MuNRO. Often we gathered there the pyimrcse.

Welsh : briollu, — briol, dignified ; alhvedd, key. " The queenly flower that opens the lock to let in summer " (Brockie).

P. veris — Cowslip. Gaelic: miiisean^ the low rascal, the devil. "^ choire mhuiseaiiaich,^^ a dell full of cowslips. Cattle refuse to eat it, therefore farmers dislike it. Brog na cnbhaig (M'Kenzie), the cuckoo's shoe. Irish : scickeariaji, seicheirghin , seicheirghlan, from seiche, hide or skin. It was formerly boiled, and " an ointment or distilled water was made from it, which addeth much to beauty, and taketh away spots and wrinkles of the skin, sun-burnings and freckles, and adds beauty exceed- ingly." The name means the "skin-purifier." Baine bo bhuie, the yellow cow's milk. Baine bo bleachf, the milk-cow's milk.

P. auricula — Auricula. Gaelic : lits na bann-righ, the queen's flower.

P. Polyanthus — Winter primrose. Gaelic : Sobhrach ghcainh- raidh.

Cyclamen hedersefolia — Sow-bread. Gaelic : culurin (perhaps from ciil or citUacJi, a boar, and aran, bread), the boar's bread.

Lysimachia (from Greek Atio-w and iLayoixai, I fight).

L. vulgaris — Loose-strife. Gaelic and Irish : Ins na sithchaine, the herb of peace {siih, peace, rest, ease ; cáin, state of). Con- aire, the keeper of friendship. The termination ^'- aire'' denotes an agent ; and conall, friendship, love. An seileachan buidlie, the yellow willow herb.

L. nemorum — Wood loose-strife; yellow pimpernel. Gaelic and Irish: scainhair Alhnire {seamhair, seam/i, gentle, sweet, and feur, grass ; seamhrog (shamrock), generally applied to the tre- foils and wood-sorrel. (See Oxalis.) Mhuire of Mary ; Maire, Mary. This form is especially applied to the Blessed Virgin Mary. In the Mid-Highlands more frequently called Sammaii (Stewart). Lus Cholum-cille, the wort of St Columba, the apostle H

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of Scotland. Columb, a dove ; cille, of the church. This name is given in the Highlands to Hypericum, which see. Rosor (O'Reilly). Ros is sometimes used for lits. Ros-or, yellow or golden rose. " From the Sanskrit, ruksha or nisha, meaning tree, becomes in Gaelic ros, a tree or treelet, just as daksha, the right hand, becomes dexter in Latin and deas in Gaelic. Ros, therefore, means a tree or small tree, or a place where such trees grow — hence the names of places that are marshy or enclosed by rivers, as Roslin, Ross-shire, Roscommon," &c. — Canon

BOURKE.

Anagallis arvensis — Pimpernel, poor man's weather-glass. Gaelic : falcair. Irish : fakaire fiodhain, the wild cleanser {fal- cadh, to cleanse). The name expressing the medicinal qualities of the plant, which, by its purgative and cleansing power, removes obstructions of the liver, kidneys, &c. Falcaire fiiair, — fal- caire also means a reaper, and fiiair, cold ; fuaradh, to cool, a weather-gauge. The reaper's weather-gauge, because it points out the decrease of temperature by its hygrometrical properties — when there is moisture the flower does not open. Loisgean (M'Donald), from loisg, to put in flame, on account of its fiery appearance. Ruitin ruise (O'Reilly). Rui?ui means sex, and by pre-eminence the " male ; " ruise is the genitive case of ros. It is still called the male pimpernel in some places. The distilled water or juice of this plant was much esteemed formerly for cleansing the skin.

Plumbaginace.í:.

Armeria maritima — Thrift. Gaelic : tonn a chladaich (Arm- strong), the " beach-wave," frequent on the sea-shore, banks of rivers, and even on the Grampian tops. Bàr-dearg, red-top, from its pink flower. N'coiiiean chladaich, the beach daisy, from chxdach, shore, beach, sandy plain.

Plantaginace^. Plantago major— Greater plaintain. Gaelic and Irish : a/ach Phàdraig, Patrick's bowl or cup, — in some places criiach Phàd- raig, Patrick's heap or hill. Welsh : Uydaiii y fford, spread on the way.

P. lanceolata — Rib -wort. Gaelic and Irish: slàn his, the healing plant.

" Le meilbheig, le neòinean 's le slàn-liis." — M'Leod. Wiih poppy, daisy, and rib-wort.

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Liís ail í' slaiiuchaidh {/hs, a wort, a plant-lierb, cliiefly used for plant ; it signifies also power, force, efficacy ; slaniichaidh, a par- ticipial noun from slan ; Latin, santis), the herb of the healing, or healing power; a famous healing plant in olden times. Deideag. Irish : deideog {ag and og, young, diminutive termina- tions ; deid^ literally deud or deid, a tooth), applied to the row of teeth, and also to the nipple (Gaelic, diddi ; English, titty)^ be- cause like a tooth, hence to a plaything, — play, geiogaw, bo-peep, a common word with nurses.

" B'iad sid an geiltre gle ghiinn. Cinn deideagan measg feoir," licc. — M 'Donald. Scenes of startling beauty, Plantain-heads among the grass, &c.

Armstrong translates it "gewgaws" amongst the grass; but the editor of ' Sar-obair nam Bard" Gaelach ' — see his vocabulary — gives deideagan, rib -grass, which renders the line intelligible. Bodaich dhubha, the black men, — children's name in Perthshire. Welsh : IhvynJiidydl-penaiir.

PARONYCHIACEyE.

Herniaria glabra — Rupture-wort; burst -wort. Gaelic and Irish : Iiis an f sic/iich (M'Kenzie), from sic, the inner skin that is next the viscera in animals. '■'■ Bhrist an t sie," the inner skin broke. " Mam-sic," rupture, hernia. Not growing naturally in Scotland, but was formerly cultivated by herbalists as a cure for hernia.

Chenopodiace^.

Amaranthus caudatus — Love-lies-bleeding. Gaelic : /lis a g/iràid//, the love plant. Gràd/i, love.

Spinacia oleracea — Spinage. Gaelic : bloinigean gàraidh. Blonag, fat (Welsh, bloneg ; Irish, blanag) ; gàrad/i, a garden. Slap chàil (M'Alpin) ; slap, to flap ; cal, cabbage. Welsh : yspi- goglys.

Beta maritima — Beet, mangel-wurzel. Gaelic: betis, biotas. Irish : biatas. Welsh : beattos (evidently on account of its feed- ing or life-giving qualities). Greek : jiio'i. Latin : vita, life, food ; and the Gaelic : biadh, feed, nourish, fatten. Gornish : bod.

Suseda maritima — Sea-side goose grass. ) Gaelic and Irish :

Salicornia herbacea — Glass-wort. j praiseach na mora,

the sea pot-herb. Name applied to both plants. Y ox praiseach, see Crambe maritima.

6o

Atriplex hastata and patula — Common oiache. Gaelic and Irish : praiseach mJiiii. Mm, meal, ground fine, small. Still used by poor people as a pot-herb. Ceathrainha-luain-grioUog (O'Reilly), loin-quarters. CeatJiramadii caorach (Bourke), sheep's quarters. The name grioUog is applied also to the samphire.

A. portulacoides — Purslane-like orache. Claelic and Irish : piirpaidh, ])urple. A name also given to the poppy. Name given on account of the purple appearance of the plant, it being streaked with red in the autumn.

Chenopodium vulvaria (or olidum) — Stinking goosefoot. Irish : deflcog. El or da, a swan ; and fle or flcadh, a feast. It was said to be the favourite food of swans. Scotch : olour (Latin, olor, a swan).

C. album — White goosefoot. Gaelic and Irish : praiseach fiadhaiii, wild pot-herb. The people of the Western Highlands, and poor people in Ireland, still eat it as greens. Praiseadi glàs, green pot-herb, a name given to the fig-leaved goosefoot {fidfoliniii).

C. Bonus-Henricus— Good King Henry, wild spinage, English Mercury. Gaelic and Irish : praiseadi bràthair, the friar's pot- herb. {Bràthair means brother, also friar — frere). Its leaves are still used as spinage or spinach, in defect of better.

Laurace.í:.

Laurus (from Sanskrit labhasa, abundance of foliage ; root labh, to. take, to desire, to possess— akin to Greek, Xaiiftavn}, lambauo). — Gaelic : lamh, a hand (Canon Bourke).

L. nobilis — The laurel, the bay-tree (which must not be con- founded with our common garden laurel, Prunus lauro-cerasiis and P. hisitajiicus). Gaelic and Irish : labhras. Crann laoibh- reil, the tree possessing richness of foliage. With its leaves poets and victorious generals were decorated. The symbol of triumph and victory. It became also the symbol of massacre and slaughter, hence another Gaelic name, casgair, to slaugh- ter, to hit right and left. Ur iiaine, the green bay-tree.

" Agus e' ga sgaoileadh fein a mach mar ilr cìiraoibìi iiaiiic." And spreading himself like a green bay-trcc. — Psalm .\xx\ii. 35.

Ur = bay or palm tree, from the Sanskrit, ///•//, to grow up. Palm Sunday is styled '■^ Donihiiach an /7//-," the Lord's day of the palm.

L. cinnamomum — Cinnamon. Gaelic and Irish : caineal.

■' 'Se 's mìllse na 'a cairwal." — Beix.v-Doraix. It is sweeter than ciiniaiiion.

Canal (Welsh : cancl).

" Rinn mi mo leabadli ciibhraitlli le mirr, aloe, agus canal." — Proverbs vii. 17.

I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.

From the Hebrew : íioj'r, qinnamon. Greek : Ktva/xw^ov, kina- mòìnoìi.

POLYGONACE/E.

Polygonum (from ttoAi;?, many, and 701^1;, knee, many knees or joints). — Gaehc : litsan glni/ieac/i, kneed or jointed plants.

Polygonum bistorta— Bistort, snakeweed. Gaelic and Irish : bihir (O'Reilly). Seems to mean the same as Inolair, a water- cress. The young shoots were formerly eaten. Welsh : lysiaiir neidr, adder's plant.

P. amphibium — Amphibious persicaria. Gaelic and Irish : gluineach an nlsge, the water -kneed plant. It is often floating in water. Gluineach dhea/'g, the red-kneed plant. Its spikes of flowers are rose-coloured and handsome. Armstrong gives this name to P. convolvulus., which is evidently wrong.

P. aviculare — Knot-grass. Gaelic and Irish : gluineach bheag (O'Reilly), the small-jointed plant.

P. convolvulus — Climbing persicaria ; black bindweed ; climbing buckwheat. Gaelic and Irish : gluineach dhubh, the dark-jointed plant.

P. persicaria — The spotted persicaria. Gaelic and Irish: gluineach jnhor, the large-jointed plant. Am boinne-fola (Fer- gusson), the blood-spot. Lus chrann ceusaidh (M'Lellan), herb of the tree (of) crucifixion. The legend being that this plant grew at the foot of the Cross, and drops of blood fell on the leaves, and so they are to this day spotted.

P. hydropiper — Water - pepper. Gaelic : lus an fliogair (AI'Kenzie), the plant that drives, expels, or banishes. It had the reputation of driving away pain, flies, &c. " If a good hand- ful of the hot biting arssmart be put under the horse's saddle, it will make him travel the better though he were half tired before " — Culpepper. Gluineach fiih, the hot-kneed plant.

Rumex obtusifolius \

,, crispus — Dock. Gaelic and Irish : iv/i?^'- —

,, conglomeratus ) copagach, copach, bossy. W'elsh : copa, tuft, a top.

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R. sanguineus — Bloody-veined dock. Gaelic: a chopagach d/icarg, the red dock. The stem and veins of leaves are blood- red.

R. alpinus — Monk's rhubarb. Gaelic : lus na pi/rgaid, the purgative weed. A naturalised plant. The roots were formerly used medicinally, and the leaves as a pot-herb. Welsh : ariau- Ilys. The same name is given for rue.

R. acetosa— Common sorrel. Gaelic : sajnh, sorrel. Irish : saiiihadh bo, cow - sorrel (for sanih see Oxalis). Fitmneag (M'Donald). Irish : puineoga. Name given possibly for its efficacy in healing sores and bruises (a pugilist, piimneanach). Sealhhag, not from sealbh, possession, more likely from searbh, sour, bitter, from its acid taste.

" Do s/iealb/iag g\\\h.n 's do luachair

A bòrcadh suas ma d' choir."— M'DoNALL). Thy pure sorrel and thy rushes Springing up beside ihee.

Scdlgag (Irish, sca/ga/i), are other forms of the same name. Copog shraiik, the roadside or lane dock. Sobh (Shaw), the herb sorrel.

R. acetosella — Sheep's sorrel. Gaelic and Irish : nianaidh, the reddish-coloured. It is often bright red in autumn. Pliiirin seangan (O'Reilly), the small -flowered plant {pluran, a small flower ; seangan., slender). Samhadh caora (O'Reilly), sheep's sorrel.

Oxyria reniformis — Mountain - sorrel. Gaelic and Irish : sealbhaig nan fiadh, the deer's sorrel.

Aristolochiace.e.

Aristolochia clematitis — Birth-wort. Culurin (see Cyclamen).

Asarum europseum — Common asarum. Gaelic : asair (M'Donald), from the generic name, said to be derived from Greek — a, privative, and o-etpa, bandage. The leaves are emetic, cathartic, and diuretic. The plant was formerly employed to correct the effects of excessive drinking, hence the French, cabaret.

Empetrace^.

Empetrum nigrum — Crow-berry. Gaelic and Irish: his na fionnag {fionnag, a crow). Sometimes written Jiannag, fiadhag {dearc Jit/iic/i, raven's berry; caor Jio/tnaig, crow-berry), the ber-

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ries which the Highland children are very fond of eating, though rather bitter. Taken in large quantities, they cause headache. Grouse are fond of them. Boiled with alum they are used to produce a dark-purple dye. Lus ua stalog (O'Reilly), the star- ling's plant.

EUPHORBIACE.E.

Euphorbia exigua ] o r^ ^■ j t • i

heUoscopia / "Sp^rge. Gaelic and Irish : spmrse

= spurge. Foinneamh lus, wart-wort.

E. peplus — Petty spurge. Gaelic and Irish : ins ki/saidh, healing plant. The plants of this genus possess powerful cath- artic and emetic properties. E. helioscopia has a particularly acrid juice, which is often applied for destroying warts, hence it is called foifwea??ih lus. Irish : gear neimh {gear or geu?; severe, and neimh, poison, the milky juice being poisonous.)

E. paralias — Sea-spurge. Irisli : buidhe na fmigean (O'Reilly), the yellow plant of the v/aves (;//>/, a wave), its habitat being maritime sands. íí'ot found in Scotland, but in Ireland, on the coast as far north as Dublin. This and the preceding species are extensively used by the peasantry of Kerry for poisoning, or rather stupefying, fish.

Buxus sempervirens — Box. Gaelic and Irish : bocsa, an alteration of /3i'ío?, the Greek name.

"Suidhichidh mi anns an fhàsach an giuthas, an gall ghiúthas, agus am òocsa le cheile. " — Isaiah.

I will set in the desert the fir-tree and the pine and the box together.

The badge of Clan jM'Pherson and Clan MTntosh.

Mercurialis perennis — Wood mercury. Gaelic : lus ghliiuie- bhracadail. Lus ghlinne, the cleansing wort ; bracad/i, suppura- tion, corruption, &c. It was formerly much used for the cure of wounds.

Cucurbitace.í:. Cucumis sativus — Cucumber. Gaelic and Irish : cularan, perhaps from culair, the palate, or culear, a bag.

"Is cuimhne leinne an t-iasg a dh 'ith sinn san Ephit gu saor ; na-r;//»/;-- ain agus na inealbhucain.'" — Numbers xi. 5.

We remember the fish that we did eat in Egypt freely, and the cucumber and the melons.

" 'Sa thorc nimhe ri sgath a chularav.'' — IM 'Donald. The wild boar destroying his Ciicitmbers.

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Irish : ciicumhar (O'Reilly), cucumber, said to be derived from the Celtic word aic (Gaelic, ciiach), a hollow thing. In some species the rind becomes hard when dried, and is used as a cup. Latin : n/curbita, a derivative from the Celtic. (See Loudon.) Welsh : chwerw ddwfr = water-sour.

Cucumis melo — Melon. Gaelic and Irish : vieal-bhiic, from vicl or ìììdl (Greek, /AeXcv, an apple), and hue, size, bulk. Ac- cording to Brockie, " mealbhiicain (plural), round fruit covered with warts or pimples." Mileog, a small melon.

UrTICACE/'E.

Urtica — A word formed from Latin : in-o, to burn.

■ ,. . i — Nettle (Anglo-Saxon, ;/rt'rt'/, a needle). Gaelic

and Irish : feaunfag, iicandog,^ dcaiiiifag, ionfag, ii/iifag (from feannfa, flayed, pierced, pinched^^rir;///, to flay, on account of its blistering effects on the skin ; aug, a sting ; iongna, nails). Latin : 7/?igiics.

"Sealbhaichidh an t' ionntagach." — HoSEA. The nettles shall possess them.

To this day it is boiled in the Highlands and in Ireland by the country people in the spring-time. Till tea became the fashion, nettles were boiled in meal, and made capital food. Caol-fàil — caol, slender; fàl, spite, malice. In the Hebrides often called sradag (a spark), from the sensation (like that from a fiery spark) consequent upon touching. (Stuart.)

Cannabis sativa — Hemp. Gaelic and Irish : -caineab, the same as cannabis, and said to be originally derived from Celtic, can, white ; but the plant has been known to the Arabs from time immemorial under the name oi guaneb. Corcacii, hemp.

"Buill do' n chaol chòrcaidh." — M 'Donald. Tackling of hempen ropes. Welsh : cynarch.

Parietaria officinalis — Wall pellitory. Gaelic and Irish: Ills a bhallaidh, from balladh (Latin, valluin ; Irish, balla), a wall. A weed which is frequently found on or beside old walls or rubbish heaps, hence the generic name "parietaria," from

1 '■'■ Neandog, the common name for it in Ireland. In feminine nouns, the first consonant (letter) after the article an (the) is softened in sound. 'An feanntag' — 'f when affected loses its soimd, and 'N' is sounded instead: 'N (fkantog.'" — Canon Bourke.

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paries, a wall. Irish : viiotintas chàisil {càisiol, any stone build- ing), the wall-mint. For iuionnias, see Mentha.

Humulus lupulus — Hop. Gaelic and Irish : his an leanna — liivm /iiil>/i, the ale or beer plant. Lionn, leann (Welsh, Ihyn) beer, ale.

Ulmus — Elm. Celtic : ailni. The same in Anglo-Saxon, Teutonic, Gothic, and nearly all the Celtic dialects. Hebrew : n'px, elali. translated oak, terebinth, and elm.

U. campestris — Gaelic and Irish : leamhan, slani/ian (Shaw), liobhan. Welsh : Ihuyfen. According to Pictet, in his work, ' Les Origines Indo-Europeennes ou les Aryas Primitifs,' p. 221, " To the Latin : ' Ulmus ' the following bear an affinity (re- spond)— Sax.ii"//;;;. Scand.: almr. Old German: elm. Rus.: ilemu. Polish : ihna. Irish : ailm, uilm, and by inversion, ^ leamh^ or ^ leamhan.'' '^ He says the root is ?//, meaning to burn. The tree is called from the finality of it, " to be burned." That is his opinion, and he is probably right. The common idea of leainhan is that it is from leamh, tasteless, insipid, from the taste of its inner bark ; and liobh means smooth, slippery. And the tree in Gaelic poetry is associated with or symbolic of slipperiness of character, indecision. Cicely M 'Donald, who lived in the reign of Charles II., describing her husband, wrote as follows : —

" Bu til' n t-iubhair as a choille,

Bu tu' n darach daingean làidir, Bu tu' n ciiileann, bu tu 'n droighionn,

Bu tu' n t' abhall molach, blàth-mhor, Cha robh meur annad do' n chritheann,

Cha robh do dhlighe ri fearna, Cha robh do chàir-dcas ri leamhaii,

Bu tu leannan nam ban àluinn."

Thou wast the yew from the wood,

Thou wast the firm strong oak, Thou wast the holly and the thorn,

Thou wast the rough, pleasant apple, Thou had'st not a twig of the aspen.

Under no obligation to the alder, And hadst no friendship with the dm.

Thou wast the beloved of the fair.

Ficus — Nearly the same in most of the European languages. Greek : (jvyy]. Latin : ficus. Celtic : fige.

F. carica — Common fig-tree. Gaelic and Irish : crann fige or fighis.

I

66

" Ach fòghlumaibh cosamhlach do'n chrann fJùge." Learn a parable from the fig-tree.

Moms — Greek : /xopos, moras. Latin : morus, a mulberry. Loudon, in his 'Encyclopedia of Plants,' says it is from the Celtic nior, dark-coloured. There is no such Celtic root ; it may be from the Sanskrit, murch, Scotch, viii-k, darkness, obscurity; and the Greek name has also this meaning. The fruit being of a darkish red colour. Old Ger. and Danish : mur-bcr.

M. nigra ■ — Common mulberry. Gaelic and Irish : crànn- 7naol-dhearc, tree of the mild aspect, or if dearc here be a berry, the mild-berry tree. Maol (Latin, mollis) has many significa- tions. Bald, applied to monks without hair, as Maol C/ioliim, St Columba ; Maol losa, Maol BrigJdd, St Bridget, &c. A pro- montory, cape, or knoll, as Maol Chinntire, Mull of Cantyre. Malvern, maol, and bearna, a gap. To soften, by making it less bitter, as " dean maol e," make it mild. Hence mulberry, mild- berry (Canon Bourke).

Amentifer^ and Cupulifer^.

Catkin-bearers— Gaelic : caitcati, the blossom of osiers.

" 'Nis treigidh coileach á ghucag

'S caitean brucach nan craobh." — M 'Donald.

Now the cock will forsake the buds And the spotted catkins of the trees.

Quercus — Said in botanical works to be from the Celtic, quer, fine. There is no such word in any Celtic dialect, and even Pictet has failed, after expending two pages on it, to explain it.

Q. robur — ("Robur comes from the Celtic, ro, excelling, and bur, development" — Canon Bourke). The oak. Gaelic and Irish : dair, genitive dàrach, sometimes written dàrag, dùr, drù. Sanskrit : dj-u, druma, druta, a tree, the tree ; daru, a wood.

* ' Sàmhach' us mòr a bha 'n triath, Mar dharaig 's i liath air Liibar, A chaill a dlu-dheug o shean Le dealan glan nan speur, Tha 'h-aomadh thar srùth o shliabh,

A còinneach mar chiabh a fuaim." — OssiAN.

Silent and great was the prince

Like an oak-tree hoary on Lubar, Stripped of its thick and aged boughs

By the keen lightning of the sky, It bends across the stream from the hill,

Its moss sounds in the wind like hair.

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Om, oi/uia, the oak (O'Reilly). " Cormac, King of Cashel, Ire- land, A.D. 903, says of omjia that it equals fuatn/ia, sounds, or noises, because the winds resound when the branches of the oak resist its passage. According to Varro, it is from os, mouth, and inen, mind, thinking — that is, telling out what one thinks is likely to come. Cicero agrees with this, ' Osmen voces hom- inum ' " — Canon Bourke. Compare Latin : omen, a sign, a prog- nostication,— it being much used in the ceremonies of the Druids. Omna, a lance, or a spear, these implements being made from the wood of the oak. Greek : hopv, a spear, because made of wood or oak. Eit/ieach, oak, from eithtm, to eat, an old form of it/i. Latin: ed-ere, as " oak" is derived from ak (Old German) to eat (the acorn). The "oak" was called Qut'/riiS esculus by tlie Latins. Rail, railaidh, oak.

" Ni bhiodh achd, aon dhearc ar an j-alaidk." There used to be only one acorn on the oak.

Canon Eourke thinks it is derived from jv, exceeding, and ail, growth ; or ri, a king, and al or ail — that is, king of the growing plants. The Highlanders still call it righ na coille, king of the wood. The Spanish name roble seems to be cognate with robiir.

Q. ilex — Holm-tree. Gaelic and Irish : craobh ihuilm, gen- itive of tohn, a knoll, may here be only an alteration of "holm." Darach sior-uàine, ever-green oak.

Q. suber— The cork-tree. Gaelic : cfàun àirceai/i. Irish : craini aire. Aire, a cork.

Fagus sylvatica — Beech. Gaelic and Irish : craobh fhaibhile. 'Welsh : ffawydd. Fai, from ^ayw, to eat. (f>rjyós, the beech-tree. This name was first applied to the oak, and as we have no Qtiercus esculus, the name Fagus is applied to the beech and not to the oak. Oruiii (O'Reilly), see Thuja articulata. Beith na measa, the fruiting birch. Meas, a fruit, as of oak or beech — like "mess," "munch." French : manger, to eat.

F. sylvatica var. atrorubens — Black beech. Gaelic : faibhile dubh (Fergusson), black beech, from the sombre appearance of its branches. The "mast" of the beech was used as food, and was called bachar, from Latin, bacehar ; Greek, ^á.Kyapi<i, a plant having a fragrant root. A name also given to Valeriana celtica (Sprengel), Celtic nard.

Carpinus— Celtic : car, wood ; and ////, a head. It having been used to make the yokes of oxen.

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C. betulus — Hornbeam. (Gaelic : kai/i/ian bog, the soft elm. (See Ulimis cainpestris).

Corylus avellana — Hazel. Gaelic and Irish : ca/Ituiiiii, càll- dai/in, calldiiinn, cailtin, coUumii. ^^'elsh : calleu. Cornish : col- widen. Perhaps from Armoric : call. Gaelic : colli. Irish : colli, a wood, a grove. New Year's time is called in Gaelic, colli : '■' oidhche collie" the first night of January, then the hazel is in bloom. The first night in the new year, when the wind blows from the west, they call dàlr na collie, the night of the fecunda- tion of trees ("Statistics," par. Kirkmichael). In Celtic supersti- tion the hazel was considered unlucky, and associated with loss or damage. The words call, col, collen, have also this significa- tion ; but if two nuts were found together {cno chomhlaich), good luck was certain. The Bards, however, did not coincide with these ideas. By it they were inspired Avith poetic fancies. " They believed that there were fountains in which the principal rivers had their sources ; over each fountain grew nine hazel trees, caill crintnoJi {crina, wise), which produced beautiful red nuts, which fell into the fountain, and floated on its surface, that the salmon of the river came up and swallowed the nuts. It was believed that the eating of the nuts caused the red spots on the salmon's belly, and whoever took and ate one of these salmon was inspired with the sublimest poetical ideas. Hence the ex- pressions, ' the nuts of science,' ' the salmon of knowledge.' " O'Curry's ' Manners and Customs of the Ancient Irish.'

The badge of Clan Colquhoun.

Alnus — Name derived from Celtic. Al, a growth ; and Ian, full. According to Pictet, it is from alka, Sanskrit for a tree.

A. glutinosa — Common alder. Gaelic and Irish : /earn — /earn, same origin as varàna (Sanskrit), a tree. Welsh : gwernen — givern, a swamp. It grows best in swampy places, and beside streams and rivers. Many places have derived their names from this tree, Gleami Feaniaite. Fearnan, near Loch Tay ; Fearn, Ross-shire, &c. Ruaim (O'Reilly) {ruad/i, red), it dyes red. When peeled it is white, but it turns red in a short time. The bark boiled with copperas makes a beautiful black colour. The wood has the peculiarity of splitting best from the root, hence the saying

" Gach fiodh o'n bhàn-, 's am/tw;v/i? o'n bliun." Every wood splits best from the top, but the alder from the root.

Betula alba — Birch. Gaelic and Irish : bcatha. Welsh :

69

bedií^ seemingly from beai/i. Greek : fSnoTi]. Latin : c'ihr, life. Also the name of the letter £ in Celtic languages, correspond- ing to Hebrew Bef/i (meaning a house). Greek : Be/a. Generally written òe///i.

" Sa ò/u'i//i chubhraidh."— OSSIAN. In the fragrant bircli.

The Highlanders formerly made many economical uses of this tree. Its bark {//leillcag), they burned for light, and the smooth inner bark was used, before the invention of paper, for writing upon, and the wood for various purposes.

The badge of the Clan Buchanan.

B. verrucosa — Knotty birch. Gaelic: beat/ia carraigcac/i, ih'it rugged birch ; beatha dubh-chasach, the dark-stemmed birch.

B. pendula — Gaelic : beatha dubhach, the sorrowful birch {di/b/iac/i, dark, gloomy, sorrowful, mourning, frowning). In Rannoch and Breadalbane : Beatha cliiasach, the many (droop- ing) ear birch. (Stuart.)

B. nana. — Dwarf birch. Gaelic : beatha beag (Fergusson), the small birch.

Castanea vesca — Common chestnut. Gaelic and Irish : ehra- obh geantn-chno.

"No na cxz.oh\\z gL'd;iiH-i lino cosmhuil r'a gheugaibh. " — EzEKlEi. xxxi. 8. Nor the chestnut-tree like his brandies.

Geaiun or gea/m, natural love, pure love, such as exists between relatives, — the tree of chaste love, and cno, a nut. The Celts evidently credited this tree with the same virtues as the chaste tree, Vitex aguus castas (Greek, àyvò? ; and Latin, castas, chaste). Hence the Athenian matrons, in the sacred rites of Ceres, used to strew their couches with its leaves. Castanea is said to be derived from Castana, a town in Pontus, and that the tree is so called because of its abundance there. But the town Castana (Greek, Kao-ravov) was probably so called on account of the virtues of its female population. If so, the Eng- lish name chestnut would mean chaste-nut, as it is in the Gaelic. Welsh : castan (from Latin, caste), chastely, modestly. The chestnut-tree of Scripture is now supposed to be Phxtaiuis oricii- talis, the Chenar plane-tree.

[.SIsculus hippocastanum — The horse - chestnut. Gaelic : gea/n/i eh no feadhaich (Fergusson). Belongs to the order Acer- acece. Was introduced to Scotland in 1709.]

7°

Populus alba — Poplar. Gaelic : pobhiiill. Irish : poibleag. German : pappel. Welsh and Armoric : pobl. Latin : populus. This name has an Asiatic origin, and became a common name to all Europe through the Aryan family from the East.^ Pictet explains it thus : " Ce nom est sans doute une reduplication de la racine Sanskrit pul, magnum, altum." Pul pul, great, great, or big, big, as in the Hebrew construction, very big. We still say in Gaelic inor mor, big, big, for very big. Pul pul is the Persian for poplar, and pullah for salix. This tree is quite common in Persia and Asia Minor, hence it was as well known there as in Europe. The name has become associated with populus., the people, by the fact that the streets of ancient Rome were deco- rated with rows of this tree, whence it was called Arbor populi. Again, it is asserted that the name is derived from the constant movement of the leaves, which are in perpetual motion, like the populace — ■" fickle, like the multitude, that are accursed."

P. tremula — Aspen. Gaelic and Irish : critheann, trembling.

" Mar chritheacJi sail t' sine." — Ul.L. Like an aspen in the l)last.

With the slightest breeze the leaves tremble, the poetic belief being that the wood of the Cross was made from this tree, and that ever since the leaves cannot cease from trembling. Eadhadh. Welsh : aethnen [aethiad^ smarting). The mulberry tree of Scripture is supposed to be the aspen (Balfour), and in Gaelic is rendered craobh nan sineur. (See Morus and Rubus frutkosus. )

" Agus an uair a chluineas tu fuim siiibhail an mullach r//rí?í)^// mm snicur, an sin gluaisidli tu thu fein." — 2 Samuel v. 24.

And when thou hearest a sound of marching on the tops of the mulberry trees, that then thou shalt bestir thyself.

The badge of Clan Fergusson.

Salix — According to Pictet, from Sanskrit, sàla^ a tree.

" II a passe au stiale dans plusieurs langues . . . Ces noms derivent de sala."

Gaelic and Irish : scileac/i, saileog, sal, suil. Cognate with Latin : salix. Fin.: sahnua. Anglo-Saxon : salig, sal/i, from which

^ .See Canon Bourke's work on ' The Aryan Origin of the Gaelic Race and Language.' London : Longman.

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sallotv (white willow) is derived. Welsh : helyg, willow. (See S. viminalis.)

S. viminalis — Osier willow ; cooper's willow. Gaelic and Irish : Jineamhain (from Jin, vine ; and ;/////;/, a neck), a long twig — a name also applied to the vine.^ Vimen in Latin means also a phant twig, a switch osier. One of the seven hills of Rome (Viminalis Collis) was so named from a willow copse that stood there ; and Jupiter, who was worshipped among these willows, was called "Viminius;" and his priests, and those of Mars, were called Salii for the same reason. The worship was frequently of a sensual character, and thus the willow has be- come associated with lust, filthiness. Priapus was sarcastically- called " Salacissimus Jupiter," hence salax, lustful, salacious ; and in Gaelic, salach (from sal) ; German, sal, polluted, defiled. The osier is also called biaisag, bun, a stump, a stock. Maothan, from maoth, smooth, tender. Gall sheilcach, the foreign willow.

S. caprea, and S. aquatica — Common sallow. Gaelic and Irish : sùileag, probably the same as Irish, saileog (Anglo-Saxon, salig, sallow). Siiil — the old Irish name — (in Turkish sii means water) in Irish and Gaelic, the eye, look, aspect, and sometimes tackle (Armstrong). The various species of willow were exten- sively used for tackle of every sort. Ropes, bridles, &c., were made from twisted willows. " In the Hebrides, where there is so great a scarcity of the tree kind, there is not a twig, even of the meanest willow, but what is turned by the inhabitants to some useful purpose." — Walker's ' Hebrides.' And in Ire- land to this day " gads," or willow ropes, are made. Geal- sheileach (Armstrong), the white willow or sallow tree. Irish : crann sailigh fhrancaigh, the French willow.

S. "babylonica — The Babylonian willow. Gaelic : seilcach an f srutha {sruth, a brook, stream, or rivulet), the willow of the brook.

" Agus gabhaidh sibh dhuibh fein air a' cheud la meas chraobh àluinn, agus seileach ati f srutha. " — Lev. xxiii. 40.

And take unto yourselves on the first day fruit of lovely trees, and willows of the brook.

MVRICACE.E.

Myrica gale — Bog myrtle, sweet myrtle, sweet gale. Gaelic : rideag. Irish : rideog, rileog (changing sound oi d \o I being

' ^' Finemhain fa m' chomhair " (in Genesis) — a vine opposite to me.

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easier). Rod or void is the common name in the Highlands, perhaps from the Hebrew, on"', rot/ie/n, a fragrant shrub. It is used for numerous purposes by the Highlanders, e.g., as a substi- tute for hops ; for tanning ; and from its supposed efficacy in destroying insects, beds were strewed with it, and even made of the twigs of gale, which is there called nodha. " And to this day it is employed by the Irish for the same purpose by those who know its efficacy. The rideog is boiled and the tea or juice drank by children to kill 'the worms.' I think children edu- cated in our national schools should be taught to know these plants and their value." — Canon Bourke. Badge of the Clan Campbell.

CONIFER/R.

Pinus — French: le pin. German : pyn-ùaum. Italian: il phio. Spanish: el pi no. Irish: pi/i?i chrann. Gaelic: pin-chrann. Anglo-Saxon : //;///. All these forms of the same name are derived, according to Pictet, from the Sanskrit verb pVna, the past participle oi pita, to be fat, juicy. From pina, comes Latin, pinus, and the Gaelic, //;/.

P. sylvestris — Scotch pine, Scots fir. Gaelic : giiiihas, giiihJias.

" is\2LX giiibhas a liib an doinionn." — OssiAN. Like a pine bent l)y the storm.

Giidhas, probably from the same root a.% picea, pitch pine. Sans- krit : pish, soft, juicy. Gaelic : giiibhas, a juicy tree, — from the abundance of pitch or resin its wood contains ; Con or cona (O'Reilly), from Greek : x'^^^'^i ^^onos, a cone, a pine. Hence conadh, fire-wood. Fir in English, from Greek, Trip, fire, because good for fire.

Badge of the Macgregors — Clan Alpin.

P. picea — Silver pine. Gaelic :^;^///MíZj'^íí7/(Fergusson), white pine. First planted at Inveraray Castle in 1682.

Abies communis — Spruce-fir. Gaelic: guithas LocJilannach, Scandinavian pine.

" Nuair theirgeadh ^twMaj' Loc/dain7ieaiii." — M'CoDRUM. When the spruce fir is done.

Lochlannach, from loch, lake, and lann, a Germano-Celtic word meaning land — i.e., the lake-lander, a Scandinavian.

'• Giubhas glàn na Lòchlainn, Fuaight' le copar ruadli."

Polished fir of Norway, Bound with reddish copper.

P. larix — Larch. Gaelic and Irish : Idircag. Scotch : larick. Latin : larix, from the Celtic, /àr, fat, from the abundance of resin the wood contains. Welsh : larswyddefi, fat wood.

P. strobus — {Strohis, a name employed by Pliny for an east- ern tree used in perfumery ) Weymouth pine. Gaelic : giiithas Sasimtiach (Fergusson), the English pine. It is not English, however ; it is a North American tree, but was introduced from England to Dunkeld in 1725.

Cupressus — Cypress. Irish and Gaelic: cuphair, an altera- tion of Cyprus, where the tree is abundant.

C. sempervirens — Common cypress. Gaelic : craobh b/iroin, the tree of sorrow. Bron, grief, sorrow, weeping. Craobh tiaine giùthais, the green fir-tree.

" Is cosmhuil mi ri crann naine giuthais^ — IIOSEA xiv. 8. I am lil<e a green fir-tree.

The fir-tree of Scripture (Hebrew berosh and berotJi are translated fir-trees) most commentators agree is the cypress.

Thuja articulata — Thyine wood. Gaelic : fiodh-thine.

" Agus gach uile ^\r\hf/iiodha thine." — Rev. xviii. 12. And all kinds of thyine wood.

Alteration of tliya, from Qvia, to sacrifice. Another kind of pine, Hebrew, oren (Irish and Gaelic, orin/i), is translated ash in Isaiah xliv. 14, and beech by O'Reilly.

Cedar — (So called from its firmness.) Hebrew: px? <^f'^^- Cednis Libani, cedar of Lebanon. Gaelic and Irish : crann s/ieudar, cedar-tree.

" Agus air uile sheiidaraihh Lcbajioiii^ — ISAIAH ii. 13. And upon all the cedars of Lebanon.

The cedar wood \i\^xv\\ontà. in Lev. xiv. 4, was T^xo\y2h\y Jimiperus oxyccdriis, which was a very fragrant wood, and furnished an oil that protects from decay — cedar oil (KeSptor). " Carmina linenda cedro " — i.e., worthy of immortality.

" Agus pod/i sheiidar, agus scàrlaid, agus hiosop. " And cedar wood, scarlet, and hyssop. K

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Juniperus — Said to be "from the Ct\úc joiepriis, which sig- nifies rough or rude" (Loudon), a word 7iot occurring in any- Celtic vocabularies that I have consulted. It seems to be the Latinised form of the Celtic root iu, iubh, iur, yw (see Taxi/s). From the same root comes ye7v in English. Irish : iitbhar- beiime (O'Reilly), the hill yew ; iubhar-talamh, the ground yew ; ubhar-chraige, the rock yew ; all given as names for the juniper. Juniperus is mentioned by both Virgil and Pliny. Both the Greeks and Romans reluctantly admitted that they were in- debted to the Celts for many of their useful sciences, and even their philosophy (see Diogenes Laertius), as they certainly were for their plant and geographical names.

J. communis — Juniper. Gaelic and Irish : aiieil, aiiiii7i, aitiol.

" Ach chaidh e fèiii astar làtha do'n fhasach agiis thàinaig e agus shuidh e fuidh craolih aiteil." — 1 Kings xix. 4.

And he went a day's journey into the desert, and he sat under a juniper tree.

The juniper of Scripture, Genista monosperma, was a kind of broom. Aiteil, from ait. Welsh : aeth, a point, furze. Irish : aitcanu, furze, from its pointed leaves. Bior leacain (in Arran), the pointed hill-side plant. Staoin (in the North Highlands), caoran staoin, juniper berries {staoin, a little drinking-cup).

The badge of Clans Murray, Ross, M'Leod, and the Athole Highlanders.

J. sabina — Savin. Gaelic : sainhaii (Armstrong), alteration of "sabina" the "sabina herba" of Pliny. Common in Southern Europe, and frequently cultivated in gardens, and used medicin- ally as a stimulant, and in ointments, lotions, «Sec.

Taxus — According to Benfey is derived from the Sanskrit, taksh, to spread out, to cut a figure, to fashion. Persian tak. Greek : to^os, an arrow. Irish' and Gaelic : tuag/i, a bow made of the taxos or yew, now applied to the hatchet used in place of the old bow.

T. baccata — Common yew. Gaelic and Irish : iut/iar, iubhar, iughar, from iùi. Greek : lo's, an arrow, or anything pointed. Arrows were poisoned with its juice; hence in old Gaelic it was called iogh, a severe pain, and ioghar (Greek, t^wp, ichor) pus, matter. The yew was the wood from which ancient bows and arrows were made, and that it might be ready at hand, it was planted in every burial-ground.

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" 'N so fein, a Clnichullin, tha' n ùir,

'S caoin iuthar 'tha 'fàs o'n uaigh." ^ — Ossian. In this same spot Chuchullin, is their dust, And fresh tlie yew tree grows upon their grave.

Hence another form of the name eo, a grave. Sinsior, siniisior (O'Reilly), long standing, antiquity, ancestry. The yew is re- markable for its long life. The famous yew of Fortingall in Perthshire, which once had a circumference of 56^4 feet, is supposed to be 3500 years old. Sineadhfeadha (O'Reilly), pro- tracting, extending.

The badge of Clan Fraser.

ENUOGENS.

Orchidace^.

Orchis — Greek: opyi'i, a plant with roots in the shape of testicles. " Mirabilis est orchis herba, sive serapias, gemina radice testiculis simili" — Pliny.

0. maculata — The spotted orchis. Gaelic and Irish : iirach b/iallach, from //;-, fresh ; iirac/i, a bottle ; uradh, apparel, and hallach, spotted.

0. mascula — Early orchis. Gaelic : moth urach, from moth, the male of any animal.

" Lointeann far an cinn

I'na viotK' raichcan.'''' — M'Intyre in ' Ben Doran.' Meadows where the early orchis grow.

Irish : inagairlÌ7i meireach, {magairle, the testicles ; nieireach (Greek, meiro), joyful, glad). Clachan gadhair {gadhar a hound, clach, a stone). The name, cuigeal an losgain, the frog's spindle, is applied to many of the orchis ; and frequently the various names are given to both maculata and mascula.

0. conopsea — Fragrant orchis. Gaelic : lus taghta, the chosen or select weed.

Ophrys — Greek : o^pvs (Gaelic, abhra), the eyelash, to which the delicate fringe of the inner sepals may be well compared. " A plant with two leaves " — Freund.

1 Laing is not correct when, in attacking the genuineness of the poems of Ossian, he asserts that tlie yew, so often mentioned in these poems, is not indigenous. There are various places, such as Gleniur, Duniur, &c., that have been so named from time immemorial, which prove that the yew was abundant in these places at least many centuries ago.

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0. or Listera ovata — Tway blade. Gaelic : da-d/iuiUcac/i, two-leaved ; dà-b/iileach, same meaning.

Epipactis latifolia — White helleborine. Gaelic : 'elcbor-gral.^ A plant used formerly for making snuff. " The root of hellebor cut in small pieces, the ponder drawne vp into the nose causeth sneezing, and purgeth the brain from grosse and slimie humors " — Gerard, 1597. This is probably the plant referred to in " Morag," when M'Donald describes the buzzing in his head, for even his nose he had to stop with hellebore, since he parted from her endearments.

" Mo clieann tha Ian do sheilleanaibh O dheilich mi ri d'bhriodal Mo shròn tha stoipt' á dh-elebor. Na deil, le teine dimbis."

iRIDACEit:.

Iris — Signifying, according to Plutarch, the " eye." Canon Bourke maintains " it is derived from e'tpw, to settle. And as a name it was by the pagan priests applied to the imaginary mes- senger, sent by gods and goddesses to others of their class, to announce tidings of goodwill. At times they imagined her sent to mortals, as in Homer, to settle matters, or to say they were destined to be settled. Such was the duty of Iris. Now amongst Jews and Christians, the rainbow was the harbinger of peace to man, hence it was called ' Iris ; ' and the circle of blue, grey, or variegated tints around the pupil of the eye is not unlike the rainbow — therefore this circlet was so called by optic scientists, simply because they had no other word; and botanists have, by comparison, applied it to \\\q fleur-de-lis, because it is varied in hue, like the iris of the eye, or the rainbow. Iris does not and did not convey the idea of eye."

I. pseudacorus — The yellow flag. Gaelic: bog-uisgc — hog, soft, but here a corruption of bogha-nisge, the rainbow. Gaelic and Irish : seilisdear, often seilcasdear, and siolastar. The ter- mination, tar, dear, or astar, in these names, means one of a kind, having a settled form or position. One finds this ending common in names of plants — as, oleaster, cotoneaster, &c., like "ttjp" in Greek, "fear" in Gaelic. .Si"// (the first syllable), from sol, the sun ; soli/s, light ; sol and leus, I.e., lux, light. Greek : ''HXios {r] or e long), hence sell, e and / to give a lengthened sound, ^ See Hdlehorus viridis.

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as in Greek. Seileastar, therefore, means the plant of Hght- Fleiir de luce. Other forms of the word occur. SioL instead 0Í sell, as siolsirach ; siol ox sil, to distil, to drop — an alteration probably suggested by the medicinal use made of the roots of the plant, which were dried, and made into powder or snuff, to produce salivation by its action on the mucous membrane. '■^ Feileasirom, felcastrom, feleastar. Here /is the affected or di- gammated form. When eleastar (another form of the word) lost the 'j,' then, for sound's sake, it took the digammated form {f)eleastar. Stroin (the last syllable) is a diminutive termina- tion. Seilistear, diminutive form seilistrm, and corrupted into seilisfrom " — Bourke.

Crocus — Greek : KpOKo?. Much employed amongst the an- cients for seasonings, essences, and for dyeing purposes.

C. SatiVUS ion- T a-

ColcMcum autumnale f -^^^'^'^ crocus, meadow saffron. Gaelic and Irish : cn>, crodh, croch — crodh c/iorcar}

" 'Se labhair Fionn nan chrò-shnuaidh." — Conn Mac Dearg. Thus spake Fingal the safifron-hued.

" Spiocnard agus croch." — Dana Sholhim, iv. 14. Spikenard and saffron.

Saffron was much cultivated anciently for various purposes, but above all for dyeing. " The first habit worn by persons of dis- tinction in the Hebrides was the la'n croich, or saffron shirt, so called from its being dyed with saffron." — Walker. The Romans had their crocdta, and the Greeks 6 kpokùìtOs, a saffron-coloured court dress. Welsh : saffrivm, saffron, from the Arabic name, z'a/anin, which indicates that the name of the plant is of Asiatic origin.

Amarvllidace.í:.

Narcissus pseudo-narcissus ) t-> n- ji r- r r ? - „ jonquiUa } -Daffodil. Gaelic : lus a chrom-

chiiin, the plant having a bent or drooping head.

Galanthus nivalis — Snowdrop. Gaelic and Irish : gealag lair, — gt'alng, white as milk; ià>', the ground. Galanthus. Greek : yaAa, milk, and avQo^, a flower.

Aloe — Hebrew, nùnx, ahaloth. Gaelic and Irish : aloe.

" Leis na h-uile chraobhaibh tuise, mirr agus aloe.'''

With all trees of frankincense ; myrrh, and aloes. — Song of Solomon, i^- U-

^ For cofcur, see Lecaiiora tartai-ea.

78

The aloe of Scripture^ must not be confounded with the bitter herb well known in medicine.

LlLTACE.t.

Lilium— Greek : Xdpiov. From the Celtic: //. colour, hue. Welsh : ///;/. Gaelic : //.

" A mhaise-mhna is ailidh /i ! "— Fixgalian Poems. Thou fair-faced beauty.

"Lily seems to signify a flower in general." — Wedgewood. Gaelic and Irish : lilidh or ////.

Convallaria majalis — Lily of the valley. Gaelic: //// >ian Ion. Lili nan gleann.

" Air ghilead, mar //// nan lòintean.'' — M'Uonald.

White as the lily of the valley. " Is ròs Sharon mise lili nait gleann." — Stv art.

I am the rose of Sharon, the lily of the glen.

" The lily of Scripture was probably Lilium c/uilccdoniciitn." — Balfour.

Allium — The derivation of this word is said to be from all (Celtic), hot, burning. There is no such word. The only word that resembles it in sound, and with that signification, is sgallta, burned, scalded; hence, perhaps, " scallion," the English for a young onion. Latin : calor.

A, cepa {cep, Gaelic: ccap, a head) — The onion. Gaelic: uin?ieafi. Irish : oinninn. Welsh : wyyiwyn. French : oignon. German : onjon. Latin : unio. Gaelic : siobaid, siobann. Welsh : sibol. Scotch : sybo. German : ziuiebel, scallions or young onions. Ciitharlan, a bulbous plant. In Lome, and elsewhere along the W. Highlands, frequently called Sronamh (probably from Sron and anih, raw in the nose, ox pungent in the nose).

A. porrum- — Garden leek. Gaelic and Irish : Icigis, leiceas, leicis. German : lauc/i, leek.

*' Agus na leicis agus na h^ninneiiiean.'' — NtJMBERS, xi. 5. And the leeks and the onions.

Irish : bugha (Shaw), leeks, fear. O'Clery, in his ' Vocabulary,' published a.d. 1643, describes it thus: '■'■ Biigh, i.e., luibh gorm no glàs ris a samhailtean suile bhios gorm no glas." That is, a blue or grey plant, to which the eye is compared if it be blue or

^ Aquilaria agallochum.

- "Porrum" from the Celtic, pari, to eat, to graze, to browse.

79

grey. The resemblance between a leek and the eye is not very apparent, as the following quotation shows : — •

" Dhearca mar dlilaoi don bhugha. Is a dha bhraoi cearta caol-dhiibha." — O'Brien. His eyes like a bunch of leeks, And his two eyebrows straight, dark, narrow.

Although Shaw gives the name to leek, probably the plant referred to is the harebell (see Scilla non - scripta). Irisii : comdid, coiime, caiiuicn. Welsh : ceniii {ce/i, a skin, peel, scales, given to onions, garlic, leeks).

"Do roidh, no do coindiJ, no do ablaibh. " Thy gale, nor thy onions, nor thy apples.

Coi/idid, though applied to leeks, onions, &c., means seasoning, condiments, Latin : condo.

A. ursinum — Wild garlic. From the Celtic. Gaelic and Irish : gar/ca^. Welsh : garlleg, from gar^ gaircc, bitter, most bitter. Gairgean. Creamh (Welsh, craf), cream, to gnaw, chew. Lurachan, the flower of garlic.

"I.e d' lurachain chrcaiiihach fhàson 'Sam buicein bhàn orr' shuas." — M 'Donald.

The feast of garlic, " Fèisd chreamh," was an important occasion for gatherings and social enjoyment to the ancient Celts.

" Ann's bidh creamh agus sealgan, agus luibhe iomdha uile fliorreas, re a n-itheadh úrghlas feadh na bleadhna ma roibhe ar teitheadh ó chaidreath na n-daoine, do 'n gleann da loch." — Irish.

Where garlic and sorrel, and many other kinds, of which I ate fresh throughout the year before I fled from the company of men to the glen of the Two Lochs. ^

A. scorodoprasum — Rocambole. Gaelic and Irish : creaviJi 7ian crag (M'Kenzie), the rock garlic.

A. ascalonicum — Shallot. Gaelic : sgalaid (Armstrong). (See Allium).

A. schoenoprasum — Chives. Gaelic : fcuraii. Irish : fcaran, the grass -like plant. Saidse. Creamh g/iàradh, the garden garlic. Welsh : ce)ii?i Fedr, Peter's leek.

A. vineale — Crow garlic. Gaelic: gar/eag MJuiire (Arm- strong), Mary's garlic.

1 A most gloomy and romantic spot in the County of Wicklow. "Glen da lough ! thy gloomy wave,

Soon was gentle Kathleen's grave."— Moore.

8o

Narthecium ossifragum — Bog asphodel. Gaelic and Irish : hlioch, bliochan, from blioch, milk. Welsh : giuactiu- ire?iin, king's lance.

" Nuair thigheadh am buaichaill a mach,

'Sa gabhadh e mu chill a chruidh

Mu'n cuairt do Bhad-nan-clach-glas,

A bhuail 'air m bu trie am bliochd.'^ — M'Leod.

When the cowherd comes forth,

And follows his cows

Around Bhad-nan-clach-glas,

Often he is struck with the asphodel.

Scilla non-scripta— Bluebell; wild hyacinth. Gaelic : ///i?//; mhiiic, the pig's fear or aversion, the bulbs being very obnoxious to swine. Brog na cubhaig, cuckoo's shoe. Irish : buih a itiuc. Probably buth is the same as bugha (see Allium pornini), fear, the pig's fear. M'Lauchainn called it lili gucagach. " Lili gucagach nan cluigean." The bell-flowered lily. S. verna — Squill (and the Latin, scilla, from the Arabic, asgyl). Gaelic : lear uineaufi, the sea-onion. Lear, the sea, the surface of the sea.

" Clos na min-/í'í7r uaine."— Ossian. The repose of the smooth green sea.

Welsh : wiiiwyn y vwr, sea-onion.

Tulipa sylvestris — Tulip. Gaelic : tuiliop. The same name in almost all European and even Asiatic countries. Persian : thoùlybàn (De Souza).

Asparagus ofl5.cinalis — Common asparagus. Gaelic : creamh viac-Jiadh. Irish : creamh-iniiic fiadli, wild boar's leek or garlic. The same name is given to hart's tongue fern. Asparag, from the generic name cnrapaa-o-w, to tear, on account of the strong prickles with which some of the species are armed.

Kuscus — Latinised form of Celtic root ri/s, wood, husk; rus- gac/i, holly. Welsh : rhysgiad, an over-growing. Also bnisciis, from Celtic, bms, bruis, small branches, brushwood.

E. aculeatus — Butcher's broom. Gaelic : calg-b/in/d/iai/i?i (Armstrong). Irish: calg-bhnidhaii (Shaw) — calg, a prickle, from its prickly leaves ; and briiih, bruid, a thorn, anything pointed ; bnidhan, generally spelled brughan, a faggot. Or it may only be a corruption from brum, broom. Calg bhealaidh, the prickly broom. It was formerly used by butchers to clean their blocks, hence the English name "butchers' broom."

Naiadace.í:.

Potamogeton.— Greek : Trora/xo's, a river, and jútov, near.

P. natans — Broad-leaved pondweed. Gaelic : di/i/iasg na //'aib/ifie, the river leaf. Most of the species grow immersed in ponds and rivers, but flower above its surface. Liobhag, from liobh, smooth, polish, from the smooth pellucid texture of the leaves, their surface being destitute of dowri or hair of any kind. Irish : liachroda, — /iach, a spoon, rod, a. water-weed, sea- weed ; iiach-Brighide, Bridget's spoon. Probably these names were also given to the other species of pondweeds (such as P. polygonifolius) as well as to P. natans.

Zostera marina — The sweet sea -grass. Gaelic and Irish: bilearach (in Argyle, bileanach), from bilcag, a blade of grass. The sea-grass was much used for thatching purposes, and it was supposed to last longer than straw.

Alismace^.

Alisma, — Greek : àXia-fxa, an aquatic plant ; said to be from a Celtic root, a/is, water. If ever this was a Celtic vocable it has ceased to have this signification : in Welsh a//s means the lowest point, hell.

A. Plantago — Water-plantain. Gaelic and Irish : cor-chopaig {cor or cor a, a weir, a dam, and copag, a dock, or any large leaf of a plant). It grows in watery places. Welsh : Uyren, a duct, a brink or shore.

Triglochin palustre — Arrow-grass. Gaelic : barr a' nihilltich,^ " l!un na cipe is barr a' inhilltich." — jNI'Intyre.

bàiT, top, and milltich (Irish), "good grass," and milucach, a thorn or bodkin — hence the English name arrow-grass. Generic name from rpeis, three, and yAwxi's, a point, in allusion to the three angles of the capsule. Sheep and cattle are fond of this hardy species, which afibrd an early bite on the sides of the Highland mountains. Milltich is commonly used in the sense of "grassy;" viaghanan milltcach, verdant or grassy meadows.

Lemnace/e. Lemna minor — Duckweed. Gaelic : ^ mac gun athair, son without a father. Irish: his gan athair gan tnhathair, fatherless motherless wort. A curious name, perhaps suggested by the

^ Alac-gun-athair may have originally been meacan air, — Dteacan, a plant, air, gen. of àr, slow (hence the name of the river "Arar" in France, meaning the slow-flowing river, — '■^ Arar dubitans qui suos cursos agat " — Senfxa), the plant that grows in slow or sluggish water. L

82

root being suspended from its small egg-shaped leaf, and not affixed to the ground. Grafi-lac/ia?i, — gra?i, seed, grain, and lack, a duck. The roundish leaves, and the fact that ducks are voraciously fond of feeding on them, have suggested this and the following names : Ros lachain, the ducks' rose or flower. Irish : abhran donog {0''i^t\\\y),—abhran is the plural of abhra, an eyelid, and donog, a kind of fish, a young ling. The fish's eyelids ; more likely a corruption of a7-an timnaig, duck's bread or meat.

It was used by our Celtic ancestors as a cure for headaches and inflammations.

Arace^.

Arum, formerly aron, probably from the ancient Celtic root ar, land, earth ; hence Latin, aro, to plough, and Gaelic, aran, bread, sustenance. The roots of many of the species are used both for food and medicine.

A. maculatum — Wake-robin, lords and ladies. Gaelic : cluas chaoin, the soft ear {caoin, soft, smooth, gentle, &c., and duas, ear). The ear-shaped spathe would probably suggest the name. Cuthaidh, from cuth, a head, a bulb — hence ciit/iarlan, any bulb- ous-rooted plant, Cuthaidh means also wild, savage. Gachar and gaoicin cuthigh are given in O'Reilly's Dictionary as names for the Arum, from cai, a cuckoo. Old English : cuckoo's pint.

Orontiace/e. Acorus calamus — Sweet-flag. Gaelic : cni/c-mhiJis, sweet-rush ; " Cicilc mhilis agus canal." Calamus and cinnamon.

cuilc, a reed, a cane. Greek : KaXa/xo's, applied to reeds, bul- rush canes, e.g., ciiilc na Léig, the reeds of Lego. Cobhan cuilc, an ark of bulrushes. Ctiilc-chrann, cane \ mi/is (Greek : fjiekicra-a, a bee), sweet. Before the days of carpets, this plant is said to have supplied the " rushes " with which it was customary to strew the floors of houses, churches, and monasteries.

Typhace^.

Typha, from Greek, tw^o?, a marsh in which all the species naturally grow.

T. latifolia — Great reed-mace or cat's-tail. Gaelic and Irish : bodan dub/i, from bod, a tail, and dub/i, large, or dark. Cuigeal nam bàn-sìth, the fairy-woman's spindle. It is often, but incorrectly, called bog bhuine or bulrush (see Scirpiis lacustris). The downy seeds were used for stuffing pillows, and the leaves for making

S3

mats, chair -bottoms, thatch, and sometimes straw hats or bonnets.

T. angustifolia — Lesser reed-mace or cat's-tail. Irish : bodan (O'Reilly), dim. of bod, a tail.

Sparganium. — Name in Greek denoting a little band, from the ribbon-like leaves.

S. ramosum — Branched bur-reed. Gaelic : righ scisg, the king's sedge, from its being a large plant with sword-shaped leaves. Se/sg viheirg (Stewart), — meirg, rust, a standard or banner.

S. simplex — Upright bur - reed. Gaelic : seisg madraidh. Armstrong gives this name to 6". ereciuju, by which he doubt- less means this plant. Seisg, sedge, and inadradh, a dog, a mastiff. Name probably suggested by the plant being in per- fection in the dog-days, the month of July, mios Mhadrail.

JUN'CACE.-E.

Juncus, from the Latin Jungo, to join. The first ropes were made from rushes, and also floor covering. Ancient Gaelic : aoin, from aoji, one. Latin : imus. Greek : €v. Ger. : ein.

' ' A dàth amar dhàth an aeil, Coilcigh eturra agus aein. Si'da eturra is brat gorm, Derg or eturra is glan cliorn. "

(From the description of the Lady Crehe's house by Caeilté MacRonain, from the Books of Ballymote, a rare ancient poem. )

The colour [of her diíii'] is like the colour of lime : Within it are couches and grecii rushes ; Within it are silks and blue mantles ; Within it are red gold and crj-stal cups.

J. conglomeratus — Common rush. Gaelic and Irish : luachar, a general name for all the rushes, meaning splendour, brightness; hence luachar, a lamp. Latin : bicerna. Sanscrit : laitchanmi, from the root, laiich, light. The pith of this and the next species was commonly used to make rush-lights. The rushes were stripped of their outer green skin, all except one narrow stripe, and then they were drawn through melted grease and laid across a stool to set. " The title Luachra was given to the chief Druid and magician, considered by the pagan Irish as a deity, who opposed St Patrick at Tara in the presence of the king and the nobility, who composed the convention" — 'Life of St Patrick.' Brog braidhe (O'Reilly), — brog, a shoe ; but here it should be brodh, straw ; braidhe, a mountain, the mountain straw or stem.

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J. etfusus — Soft rush. Gaelic : luachar bog, soft rush. Irish : feaih, a bog. It grows best in boggy places. Fead, which seems to be the same name, is given also to the bulrush. Fead, a whistle, a bustle.

" 'S Vionm\\oi: fcaduii caol,

Air an eiiicli gaotli." — M'Intyre.

Doubtless suggested by the whistling of the wind among the rushes and reeds. The common rush and the soft rush were much used in ancient times as bed -stuffs; they served for strewing floor?, making rough couches, &c.

J. articulatus — Jointed rush. Gaelic : lochan nan damii. This name is given by Lightfoot in his ' Flora Scotica,' but it should have been lachan nan damh. Lachan, a reed, the ox or the hart's reed.

J. squarrosus — Heath-rush, stool- bent. Gaelic : bni-corcur (M'Alpine), — bni-chorachd, the deers' moor-grass; /vv/, a deer, a hind ; corcach, a moor or marsh. See Scirpiis.

" Brnchoraclidk% ciob,^ - ,

Lusan am bi brlgh," &c.

— M'Intyre in * Ben Doran.' Heath-rush and "deer's hair," Plants nutritious they are, &c.

Specimens of this plant have also been supplied with the Gaelic name vioran labelled thereon, and in another instance muran. These names mean the plants with tapering roots ; the same signification in the Welsh, moron, a carrot. (See Muirneach — Avunophila aj-enan'a.)

J. maritimus and acutus — Sea-rush. Irish : meitJum (O'Reil- ly). Meith, fat, corpulent. J. acutiis (the great sea-rush) is the largest British species.

Luzula. — Name supposed to have been altered from Italian, lucciola, a glow-worm. It was called by the ancient botanists gramen IuxuIcb (Latin, hix, light).

L. sylvatica — Wood-rush. Gaelic : luachar coille, the bright grass or rush of the wood. The Italian name lucciola is said to be given from the sparkling appearance of the heads of flowers when wet with dew or rain. Leannan (Stewart), possibly from lear or leir, clear, discernible ; a very conspicuous plant, more of the habit of a grass than a rush, the stalk rising to the height of more that two feet, and bearing a terminal cluster of brownish flowers, with large light-yellow anthers.

^ See Scirpus azspitosiis.

85 Cvperace.í:.

Schoenus (from x""'tJS ^^ o-xoii'os, a cord in Greek). — From plants of this kind cords or ropes were made.

S. nigricans — Bog - rush. Gaehc : seimhean (Armstrong). Irish: seunhin {seimh, smooth, shining — the spikelets being smooth and shining ; or which is more likely, from siobh or siob/iag, straw, — hence sio?nan, a rope made of straw or rushes ; the Greek name crxoii/os for the same reason).

Scirpus, sometimes written sirpus (Freund), seems to be cognate with the Celtic cirs, cors, a bog-plant ; hence. Welsh, corsfruyn, a bulrush (Gaelic, curcais). Many plants of this genus were likewise formerly used for making ropes. (Cords, Latin, chorda ; Welsh, cord ; Gaelic and Irish, corda ; Spanish, ciierda, — all derived from cors.)

S. maritimus — Sea-scirpus. Gaelic and Irish : b?-òb/i. Name from bro. bra, or bràd/i, a quern, a hand-mill. The roots are large and very nutritious for cattle, and in times of scarcity were ground down in the ftiidleann bràdh (French, vioulin à bras), to make meal ; bracan, broth, — hence bracha, malt, be- cause prepared by manual labour (Greek, ^pa-x^v ; Latin, brachium ; Gaelic, braic ; French, bras, the arm).

S. caespitosus — Tufted scirpus, deer's hair, heath club-rush. Gaelic : ciob, ape, and ciob cheann diibh {ctob = x')8os ; Latin, cib/is, food ; ceanu, head ] dubh, black).

" Le'n cridheacha' meara Le bainne na doba. '— M'Intvre.

This is the principal food of cattle and sheep in the Highlands in March, and till the end of May. Cruach luachair, — cruach, a heap, a pile, a hill, and luachair, a rush.

The badge of the Clan M'Kenzie.

S. lacustris — Bulrush, lake-scirpus. Gaelic : gobhal luachair, the forked rush {gobhal, a fork), from the forked or branched appearance of the cymes appearing from the top of tall, terete (or nearly so), leafless stems. When this tall stem is cut, it goes by the name of cuilc,^ a cane, and is used to bottom chairs. Irish : gibiim, — gib or giob, rough, and aoin, a rush. Gaelic and Irish, bog mhuine, boigeati, bog luachair, bog,^ a marsh, a fen, swampy ground, to bob, to wag, — names indicating its habitat,

^ "Mu lochan nan cuilc a tha ruadh." — Tighmora.

2 Bog and bdlg are frequently interchanged : bolg luachair, prominent or massy rush ; from bolg, gen. builg, comes bid in bulrush.

86

also its top-heavy appearance, causing it to have a bobbing or wagging motion. Curcais {curac/i, a marsh, a fen) is more a generic term, and equals scirpiis. Min-fheiir, a bulrush. (See Festiica ovina.)

Badge of Clan M'Kay.

Eriophorum (from eptov, wool, and (^épm, to bear). — Its seeds are covered with a woolly substance — hence it is called cotton- grass.

E. vaginatum and E. polystachyon — Cotton-sedge. Scotch : cafs-tail. Gaelic and Irish : canach. Irish : cona (from ca7i, white), from its hypogynous bristles forming dense tufts of white cottony down, making the plant very conspicuous in peaty bogs. The canach in its purity and whiteness formed the object of comparison in Gaelic poetry for purity, fair complexion, &c., especially in love-songs : —

" Do chneas mar an canach Co cheanalta thlà. " — M'Intyre.

Thy skin white as the cotton-grass So tender and gentle.

" Bu ghile na'n canach a criith."— OssiAN.

Her form was fairer than the down of Cana.

In Ossian the plant is also called caoiti chcann {caoin, soft), the soft heads, fair heads.

" Ghlac mi'n caoin ciieanna sa' blieinn 'Siad ag aomadh mu shrulhaibh thai! Fo charnaibh, bu diomhaire gaoth."— Tigumora.

I seized cotton-grasses on the hill,

As they waved by their secret streams,

In places sheltered from the wind.

This is only the plural form of the name canach — caincichcan.

'^ Na caincichcan àluinn an t-shleibh." — M'Leod.

O'Reilly gives the name sgathog fiadhain to E. polystachyon, — sgath, a tail, and i?^ (dim. termination), the little tail, — to distin- guish it from vaginatum, which is larger. Scotch : cafs-tail.

Badge of Clan Sutherland.

Carex (likely from Welsh, cors ; Gaelic,i"<z;7-, a bog, a marsh, or fenny ground). — This numerous family of plants grows most- ly in such situations. Seisg, sedge ; gallsheilisdear, also seilisdear ainh (for Seilisdear, see Iris'), — amh, raw — the raw sedge. Welsh : hesg. Seasg, barren, unfruitful. Except C. rigida, they

8?

are scarcely touched by cattle. According to Dr Hooker, carex is derived from Greek, «cipw, from the cutting foliage. The Sanscrit root is kar^ to cut, shear, divide.

C. vulgaris, and many of the other large species — Common sedge. Gaelic : gaitinisg (Stewart), — gainne, a sedge, reed, cane, arrow ; and seasg.

Gramine.í:.

Agrostis alba— Fiorin-grass. Gaelic and Irish : fioran, feor- ine, or fioi'-thati ; derived from Gaelic : feiu; feoi?; grass, herb- age, fodder. Latin: vireo, I grow green, — ver, s-pring ; /cerium, fodder — r and n being interchangeable. This name is applied in the dictionaries to the common couch-grass, because, like it, it retains a long time its vital power, and propagates itself by extending its roots.

Alopecurus — Foxtail-grass. Gaelic : fiteag,—fit, food, refresh- ment. Latin : vita.

A. geniculatus. — Gaelic : fitcag c/iàm, —

"A chuiseag dheireach's ^nfhiteagckam.'" — M'Intyre.

cam, bent, from the knee-like bend in the stalk. A valuable grass for hay and pasture.

Arundo Phragmites — Reed-grass. Gaelic: seasgan; seasg, a. reed. Lachan, the common reed. Irish : cruisgiornach, C7'uisighy music, song ; from its stem reeds for pipes were manufactured. Welsh : cazi'ti wellt, cane-grass ; qwellt, grass.

Anthoxanthum odoratum — Sweet meadow-grass. Gaelic : mislean, from milis, sweet.

"'San canach min geal 's misUan ann." — M'Intyre. The soft white cotton-grass and the sweet grass are there.

Borrach {boiradh, scent, smell). — In some places this name is given to the Nardus stricta, which see. This is the grass that gives the peculiar smell to meadow hay. Though common in meadows, it grows nearly to the top of the Grampians (3400 feet) ; hence the names are given as " a species of mountain grass " in some dictionaries.

Milium effasum — Millet -grass. Gaelic: f/iiieid. Welsh: miled. The name derived from the true j?iiliet misapplied. Mil- let is translated in the Gaelic Bible Jiieatibh pheasair, small peas (see Faba vidgaris). — Ezekiel iv. 9.

Phleum pratense — Timothy grass, cat's-tail grass. Gaelic : bodan, a little tail ; the same name for Typha a/igustifolia. " This

grass was introduced from New York and Carolina in 1780 by Timothy Hanson." — Loudon. It seems to have been unknown in the Hebrides and the Highlands before that date ; for Dr Walker ('Rural Econ. Hebrides,' ii. 27) says, "that it maybe introduced into the Highlands with good effect." Yet Lightfoot (1777) mentions it as "by the waysides, and in pastures, but not common." Bodan is also applied to P. are}iarium and P. alpinum.

Lepturus filiformis. — Gaelic : diirfheurfairge, sea hard grass. P>i/r, hard (Latin, dttrtis) \ feiir, grass ;/airg, the sea, ocean, wave. It grows all round Ireland, as well as in England and South Scotland. Irish : durfher fairge (O'Reilly).

Calamagrostis. — Etym. KaAa/i-os, and aypoVris, reed-grass.

C. Epigejos — Wood small reed. Cnilc f/ieiir, cane -grass; ga/////c^ cane. Lachnn coiHe, wood-rush.

Anunophiia arenaria (or Psamma arenaria) — Sea-maram ; sea- matweed. Gaelic and Irish : i/iuirineach, from jniiir (Latin mare, the sea), the ocean. It is extensively propagated to bind the sand on the sea shore ; generally called nniran on west coast. The same name is applied to the carrot, an alteration of moron — a plant with large tapering roots. MTntyre alludes to " miiran brìghar" but whether he refers to the carrot or to this grass is a matter of controversy. Not being a seaside Highlander, he was more likely to know the carrot, wild and cultivated, far better than this seaside grass, and associating it with groundsel (a plant which usually grows rather too abundantly, wherever carrots are sown), makes it a certainty that he had not the " sea- maram" in his mind. (See Dauciis carota.)

Avena sativa — Oats. Gaelic and Irish : coirc. Welsh : ceirch. Armoric : querch. Probably from the Sanskrit ka?-^, to crush.

" Is fhearr slol caol coircc fhaotuinn a clrocli fliearann 11a' bhi falamh." Better small oats than nothing out of bad land.

The small variety, A. nuda, the naked or hill oat, when ripe, drops the grain from the husk ; it was therefore more generally cultivated two centuries ago. It was made into meal by dry- ing it on the hearth, and bruising it in a stone -mortar, the '■'■ mtiUeaiin brádh" — hand-mill or quern. Many of them may still be seen about Highland and Irish cottages.

A. fatua and pratensis — Wild oats. Gaelic: coirc Jiadhain, wild oats ; coirc duldi, black oats. Also applied to the Brome grasses.

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" Do'n t-siol chruithncachd, chuireadh gu tiugh ; Cha b' e' n fhiteag, no' n coirc dnhh.'" — M 'Donald.

When oats become black with blight, the name coiix diihh is applied, but especially to the variety called Avena strigosa.

Hordeum distichon — Barley ; the kind which is in common cultivation. (" Barley " comes from Celtic bar, bread, now obsolete in Gaelic, but still retained in Welsh — hence bavji, and by tlie change of the vowel, beer.) Gaelic and Irish : eoi-Jia, onia. Irish : earn (perhaps from Latin, /lorreo, to bristle ; Gaelic, or, a beard) — O'Reilly. " The bearded or bristly bar- ley ; " " oi'og" a sheaf of corn. Hordeum, sometimes written ordcuììi (Freund), is from the same root. " It was cultivated by the Romans for horses, and also for the army ; and gladia- tors in training were fed with it, and hence called hordiarii." It is still used largely in the Highlands for bread, but was for- merly made into " crowdie," properly corrody, from Low Latin, corrodiuvi, a worry.

" Fuarag èorn ann' sail mo bhroge, Biadh a b' fhearr a fhuir mi riamh." Barley-crowdie in my shoe, The sweetest food I ever knew.

Irish : caineog, oats and barley — from cain (Greek, kìJvo-os ; Latin, ceììsìis), rent, tribute. Rents were frequently paid in " kind," instead of in money.

Secale cereale — Common rye. Gaelic and Irish : seagall. Greek : o-exaXy/. Armoric : segal. French : seigle. " An cruithneach agus an seagall." — Exodus. The wheat and the rye. Welsh : rhyg, rye.

Molinia caerulea — Purple melic -grass. Gaelic: bunglàs (M 'Donald), pnuglàs. {Bun, a root, a stack ; glàs, blue.) The fishermen round the west coast and in Skye make ropes for their nets of this grass, which they find by experience will bear the water well without rotting. Irish : mealoigfer corciiir (O'Reilly), — 7)iealoig= 7nelic {irom mel, honey), the pith is like honey; fcr or fciir, grass ; corcuir, crimson or purplish. In some parts of the Highlands the plant is called braban (Stewart.)

Glyceria. — From Greek, yXvKV'i, sweet, in allusion to the foliage.

G. fluitans — Floating sweet grass. Milsean iiisgc, millieach ;//jXi',— perhaps from millse, sweetness. Horses, cattle, and swine are fond of this grass, which only grows in watery places.

M

9°

Trout {Saliiw fario) eat the seeds greedily. The name viillteach is frequently applied to grass generally as well as to TrigiocJiin paliistre (which see). Feur nisge, water-grass.

Briza. — Quaking-grass. Gaelic and Irish : coiiati, — couan, a hound, a hero, a rabbit, — may possibly be named after the cele- brated " Coiian Maol," who was known among the Feine for his thoughtless impetuosity. He is called " Aiiulisg na Feinne" the mischief of the Fenians. This grass is also called feur goriach, hungry, starving grass. " A weakness, the result of sudden hunger, said to come on persons during a long journey or in particular places, in consequence of treading on the fairy grass " — (Irish Superstitions). Feur stihein sithe, — literally, a blast of wind ; a phantom, a fairy. The oldest authority in which this word sithe occurs is Tirechan's ' Annotations on the Life of St Patrick,' in the Book of Armagh, and is translated " Dei terreni^' or gods of the earth. Crith fhèur, quaking-grass. Grigleann (in Breadalbane), that which is in a cluster, a festoon ; the Gaelic name given to the constellation Pleiades.

Cynosurus. — Etym. kvwv, a dog, and ovpá, a tail.

C. cristatus — Crested dog's-tail. Gaelic : goinear, or goin f/ieur, and sometimes conan (from coin, dogs, and feur, grass). Irish : fhir c/ioinein, dog's grass.

Festuca. — Gaelic : féisd. Irish : féiste. Latin : fastiis and festus. French : feste, now fete. English : feast, as applied to grass, good pasture, or food for cattle.

F. ovina — Sheep's fescue - grass. Gaelic and Irish: feur cJiaorach.

'^ Minfheur chaorach." — M'Intyre. Soft sheep grass.

This grass has fine sweet foliage, well adapted for feeding sheep and for producing good mutton — hence the name. But Sir H. Davy has proved it to be less nutritious than was formerly supposed. Minfheur (Armstrong), is applied to any soft grass — as Holcus mollis — to a flag, a bulrush; as ^^ minfheur gun uisge," a bulrush without water (in Job).

Triticum, according to Varro, was so named from the grain being originally ground down. Latin : tritus, occurring only in the ablative {tero). Greek : rei/jw, to rub, bruise, grind.

T. aestivum (and other varieties) — Wheat. Gaelic and Irish : cruithneachd — cruineachd. This name seems to be associated with the Cruithne, a tribe or tribes who, according to tradition, came from Lochlan to Erin, and from thence to Alban, where

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they founded a kingdom which lasted down till the seventh century. Another old name for wheat — brcothan, may simi- larly be connected with another ancient tribe, " Clanna Breogan. They occupied the territory where Ptolemy in the second cen- tury places an offshoot of British Brigantes." — Skene. Were these tribes so called in consequence of cultivating and using wheat ? or was it so called from those tribal names ? are ques- tions that are difficult to answer. It seems at least probable that they were among the first cultivators of wheat in Britain and Ireland. Breothan^ that which is bruised ; the same in meaning as tritiaim. Other forms occur, as brachtan} being bruised or ground by hand in the " vmileann bràdh" the quern ; sometimes spelled breachtan. Mann, wheat, food. Fion?ian?i, —fior, genuine, and maim, a name given to a variety called French wheat. Tuireatm, perhaps from tnire, good, excellent. The flour of wheat is universally allowed to make the best bread in the world. Romhan, Roman or French wheat ; " branks."

T. repens — Couch, twitch. Scotch : dog-grass, quickens, &c. Gaelic : feiir a'-phuint (M'Kenzie), the grass with points or articulations. Every joint of the root, however small, having the principle of life in it, and throwing out shoots when left in the ground, causing great annoyance to farmers. (From the root ptinc or piing ; Latin, pundum, a point.) Goin-fhenr, dogs- grass ; or goin, a. wound, hurt, twitch. According to Rev. Mr Stewart, Nether Lochaber, this name is also given to Cyjiosunis. Fioihran, the detestable. It is one of the worst weeds in arable lands on account of the propagating power of the roots. Bruivi fhcur, flatulent grass. Probably only a term of con- tempt.

T. junceum— Sea-wheat grass. Gaelic: glàs fheur, the pale green grass ; a seaside grass. It helps, with other species, to bind the sand.

Lolium perenne and temulentum — Darnell, rye - grass. Gaelic : breoillean. Irish : breallan {breall or brcallach, knotty), from the knotty appearances of the spikes, or from its medicinal virtues in curing glandular diseases. "And being used with quick brimstone and vinegar it dissolveth knots and kernels,

^ Latin : brace or bràììcc. Gallic, of a particularly white kind of corn. According to Hardouin, blcbhxnc Dauphinc, Triticitm Hibcriiiim, Linn., var. Granis albis. Lat., sandala.

" Galliae quoque suum genus farris dedere : quod illie brance vocant apud nos sandalum nitidissimi grani."— Pliny, i8, 7.

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and breaketh those that are hard to be dissolved " — Culpepper. Dit/iean, darnel ; perhaps from dith, want, poverty. It may be so named from its growing on poor sterile soil, which it is said to improve. " They have lately sown ray-grass to improve cold, clayey soil" — Dr Platt, 1677. Roillc. Irish: raid/ileadh, ixom raidhe, a ray — hence the old English name i-ay-grass. French : ivraie, darnel. Welsh : efr — perhaps alterations of the French ivre, drunk. The seeds of darnel, when mixed with meal, cause intoxication, and are believed to produce vertigo in sheep — the disease that maketh them reel j and for this reason the grass is often called sturdan, from stiird, — hence Scotch sturdy grass. Siob/iach, from siobhas, rage, fury, madness. " It is a malicious plant of sullen Saturn : as it is not without some vices, so it hath also many virtues " — Culpepper. Cuiseach (M'Alpine), rye-grass. Ruijitealas (O'Reilly), the loosening, aperient, or purgative grass — from riiinnec, grass, and tealach, loosening.

Nardus stricta — Mat - grass, moor - grass. Gaelic : beitean (perhaps from beithe), was refused. Cattle refuse to eat it. It remains in consequence in dense tufts, till it is scorched by early frosts. In this condition it is frequently burned, in order to destroy it. Borrach (in some places), parching. Carnin (Stewart), a name given also to Spcrgula arvetisis. To this grass and other rough species, as rushes, sedges, &c., the name riasg is given.

" Cuiseagan-a's riasg

Chinneas air an t'sliabh." — M'Lntyre.

Aira flexuosa — Waved hair-grass. Gaelic : moin-fhcur, peat- grass. It grows generally in peaty soil.

CRYPTOGAMIA.

FiLICES.

Filices — Ferns. Gaelic : raineach, roineach. Irish : raith^ raii/ine, raithneach ; also, reathnach. Welsh: rhedyn. Perhaps formed from reath^ a revolution or turning about, or 7'at, motion, from the circinate evolution of the young fronds — an essential characteristic of ferns.

Polypodium vulgare — Clock - rcathncach (Armstrong), the stone-fern ; clock, a stone. It is common on stone-walls, stones, and old stems of trees. Ceis-ckràun. Irish : ceis ckrainn, — cis, a tax, tribute, and crànn, a tree, because it draws the sub- stance from the trees ; or from the crosier-like development of the fronds, like a shepherd's crook, " cis-cean.'" Sgcamk na clock.

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Sgeainh means reproach, and sgiainh or sgt'iinh, beauty, orna- ment ; " na clock" of the stones. The second idea seems, at least in modern times, to be more appropriate than the first, especially as the term was applied to the really beautifid oak- fern.

" Mu chinneas luibhean 'us an sgciiiih.^'' How the flowers and the ferns grow.

Reidh raineach, — rcidh, smooth, plain. Raiiieach nan crag, the rock-fern. Mearlag (in Lochaber), perhaps from meàr or meicr, a finger, from a fancied resemblance of the pinnules to lingers.

P. Dryopteris — Oak-fern. Gaelic and Irish : sgcanih d/iaraich (O'Reilly), the oak-fern. No Gaelic name is recorded for the beech-fern {P. Phegopteris).

Blechnum spicant — Hard fern. The only Gaelic name sup- plied for this fern is " an raineach chruaidh" hard fern. It is impossible to say whether this is a translation or not. Being a conspicuous and well-defined fern, it must have had a Gaelic name.

Cystopteris fragilis — Bladder-fern. Gaelic : friodli raineach, or frioth fhraineacJi, — ''frioth," small, slender. The tufts are usually under a foot long ; stalks very slender.

Polystichum aculeatum, lobatum, and angulare — Gaelic : zbhig (Rev. A. Stewart), the name by which the shield-ferns are known in the West Highlands. This name may have ref- erence to the medicinal drinks formerly made from the pow- dered roots being taken in water as a specific for worms (see Z. filix-vias), from ibh, a drink. French : ivre. Latin : ebrius.

P. Lonchitis — Holly fern. Gaelic : raineach-chuilitin (Stewart), holly fern, known by that name in Lome ; also colg raineach, in Breadalbane and elsewhere. For cnileann and colg, see Ilex aqnifoliuni.

Lastrea Oreopteris — Sweet mountain fern. Gaelic : crini- raincach (Stewart). Most likely from creini, a scar, the stalks being covered with brown scarious scales. In some places the name /?/■/<? raineach is given, from /ihZf, a scent, a smell. This species may be easily distinguished by the minute glandular dots on the under side of the fronds, from which a fragrant smell is imparted when the plant is bruised.

L. filix-mas — Male fern. Gaelic and Irish : marc raineach, horse-fern. Marc. Welsh : march. Old High German : marah.

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a horse. This fern has been celebrated from time immemorial as a specitic for worms ; the powdered roots, taken in water, were considered an excellent remedy. Irish : raineach-madra, tlog-fern.

L. spinulosa, and the allied species dilatata and Fa-nisccii, are known by the name raincach nan rodainn, from Latin, rodo. Sanscrit : rad, to break up, split, gnaw, — the rat's fern, in Mor- ven, Mull, and Lewis. " Dr Hooker is mistaken as to the range of this fern, as it is extremely abundant here, at least in the form oi dilatata" — (Lewis Correspondent).^ The name rat's fern, from its commonness in holes, and the haunts of rats.

Athyrium filix-foemina — Lady-fern. Gaelic and Irish: raitieach M/iiiirc, Mary's fern, — Miiire, the Virgin Mary, Our Lady; fre- quently occurring in plant-names in all Christian countries.

Asplenium. — From Greek : a, privative, and <nr\-qv, the spleen.

A. Trichomanes — Black spleenwort. Gaelic and Irish : dùbh c/iàsach, dark-stemmed. Lus na sei/g, from sealg, the spleen. This plant was formerly held to be a sovereign remedy for all diseases of this organ, and to be so powerful as even to de- stroy it if employed in excess. Lus a chorrain. Urthàhnhan (O'Reilly), — ?/r, green, and talamh, the earth. As diibh chàsach is the common name for Trichojnanes — probably iir thalmhan was applied to A. viride. Failfean fionn, see A. capilliis- Veneris.

A. Ruta-muraria — Rue fern. Gaelic : rue b/ialIaid/i,\v2i\\-vnQ.

A. Adiantum-nigrum — Gaelic : an rameach uàine, the green fern. Irish : cmobh viae fiadh (O'Reilly), — craob/i, a tree, a plant, and muc fiadh, wild pig or boar.

Scolopendrium vulgare— Hart's-tonguefern. Gaelic: crcamh niacfiad/i, or in Irish, iirani/i nam. inuc fiadh. Wild boar's wort, a name also given to Asparagus.

Pteris aquilina — Common brake. Gaelic : an raincach inhor, the large fern. Raith (see Polypodium). The brake is used for various purposes by the Gaels, such as for thatching cottages ;

^ My well-informed correspondent also remarks: "I may mention one or two other plants, regarding which Dr Hooker's information is slightly out. His Salix repens'xi, very common here and in Caithness, though absent in at least some parts further south. Utricidaria minor can easily be found in quantities near the Butt of Lewis ; and Scutellaria minor, which he allows no further than Dumbarton, grows equally far north, although all I am aware of could be covered by a table-cloth. Another interesting plant, Eryngium maritiiniint, grows in a single sandy bay on our west coast."

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and beds were also made of it. It is esteemed a good remedy for rickets in children, and for curing worms.

Adiantum capillus-Veneris — IMaiden-hair fern. Gaelic : fail- teanfiòìiìi (Armstrong), ixom fa/t, hair, axvafionn, fair, resplendent. This fern is only known in the Highlands by cultivation. This name is frequently given to Trichomanes {ditbh chàsach) impro- perly.

Ophioglossum — From Greek : o^t?, a serpent, and yXÚ)(rar], a tongue. Tlie little fertile stalk springing straight out of the grass may not inaptly be compared to a snake's tongue.

0. vulgatum — Adder's tongue. Li/s na fiaf/iraif/i (^VKenzìe), the serpent's weed. Teanga a' nathrach, the adder's tongue. Welsh : tafad y 7ieidr, adder's tongue. In the Western High- lands, beasan or feasan (Stewart).

Osmunda — Osmunder, in Northern mythology, was one of the sons of Thor (Gaelic : Tordan, the thunderer, the Jove of the Celts ; OS in Celtic, over, above, upon, and mi/tiata, a champion, in Irish), — said to have received the name on account of its po- tential qualities in medicine.

0. regalis — Royal fern. Gaelic: raiiieach riog/iail, kingly fern ; rigk faiueach, royal fern. In Ireland it is called bog- onion.

Botrychium lunaria — ]\Ioonwort. Gaelic : /uan liis, moon- wort. Welsh : _;r lleuadiys, — //ei/ad, moon. " Zuan, the moon, seems a contraction of luathan, the swift planet" — Arm- strong. But rather from Sanscrit : luach, light. Latin : liina. French : lune. Deur his and dealt Ins (Stewart),— «'^//r, a tear, a drop of any fluid, and dealt, dew. This plant was held in superstitious reverence among Celtic and other nations. Horses were said to lose their shoes where it grew. " On Sliabh Riab- hach Mountain no horse can keep its shoes ; and to this day it is said that on Lord Dunsany's Irish property there is a field where it is supposed all live stock lose their nails if pastured there." "A Limerick story refers to a man in Clonmel jail who could open all the locks by means of this plant." The same old superstition still lingers in the Highlands —

There is an herb, some say whose virtue's such It in the pasture, only with a touch, Unshoes the new-shod steed.

"On White-Down, in Devonshire, near Tiverton, there was found thirty horse-shoes pulled off from the feet of the Earl of Essex, his horses being there drawn up into a body, many of

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them being but newly shod, and no reason known, which caused much admiration ; and the herb described usually grows upon heaths." — Culpepper.

Ferns frequently formed components in charms.

" Faigh naoi gasan rainaich Air an gearradh, le tuaigh, A's tri chnaimhean seann-duine

Air an tarruinn à iiaigh," &c. — M'Intyre.

Get nine branches of ferns

Cut with an axe, And three old man's bones

Pulled from the grave.

" Fern seeds were looked upon as magical, and must be gathered on Midsummer eve." — Scottish and Irish Superstition.

T.YCOPODIACEyE.

Lycopodium, from Avkos, a wolf, and •ttoí''?, a foot, from a fan- cied resemblance to a wolf's foot.

L. Selago — Fir club-moss. Gaelic : garbhag an slcihhc, the rough one of the hill. " The Highlanders make use of this plant instead of alum to fix the colours in dying. They also take an infusion of it as an emetic and cathartic ; but it operates violently, and, unless taken in a small dose, brings on giddiness and convulsions." — Lightfoot. According to De Theis, " Se- lago " is derived from the Celtic, sel {sealladh), sight, and/ar/; (bt). Greek : tao-is, a remedy, being useful for complaints in the eyes.

Badge of Clan M'Rae.

L. clavatum, annotinum, and the rest of this family are called his bhalgaire, the fox-weed.

Equisetace^.

EcLuisetum, from eqinis, a horse, and sefa, hair,