Page:Glossary of words in use in Cornwall.djvu/273

4 ▲ QL0B8ART OP DEVONSHIRE PLANT NAMES. even acqnixed the name of ** Snakes'-food. Thus the matter can be easily traced step by step from the latest back to the earliest development of the name. Herein consists the value and interest of the study from one point, and many others will appear. (Britten, pi 6.) In North Devon the word in use is Adder's-poison," a name which adds strong confirmation to the foregoing explanation. Addbb's-Tongub, (1) Seolqpendrium vuLgare^ Lym., or Hart's- tongue fern. (2) Sagittaria aagittifcUa^ L. The old people say that a cupful of tea every day made of niive leaves of this plant to a pint of water boiled together is a good strengthening medicine if taken in spring and autumn. The lucky or magic number nine of course has much to do with it (3) Ophioglosmm tnUgatum, L. Because out of every leaf it sendeth forth a kind of pestal, like unto an adder's tongue ; it cureth [on the doctrine of signatures] the biting of serpents." (Coles, Adam in Eden^ p. 558 ; Britten, pi 6 ; I^or, p. 2.) AoLBT, fruit of QrcUcegua Oxyaeanthu, L. See Eqlbt. AiRiF. See Hatbipf. Alice. See Sweet Auge, and Anise. Aller, Alnus glutinosa^ L. In the west of England we find the term Allerhury applied to a plantation of Aller or Alder-trees. From Anglo-Saxon air. Dr. Prior gives etymological details. (Britten, p. 11 ; Prior, p. 3 ; Earle's Plant Names, pp. 18, 22, 38 ; Gamett's Philological Essays, p. 30, 31, for valuable notes; God in History, ii. 496.) Alusbushbs. (1) Cf. Halse, and Nutall. (2) Mr. Britten (p. 11) gives AlntLs glutinosa, L., as bearing this name in North Devon. Ambrioan Creeper, Tropcedum Canariense. There is some confusion in the use of the trivial name of this plant. In Somerset- shire this handsome climber is called Canary-creeper, as though it belonged to the Canary Isles. But some botanists give the name of Canary-bird flower to T. peregrinum, while we are told {Outlines of Botany, p. 813) that " T. aduncum is remarkable for the resemblance its irregular flowers bear to a bird; and hence, in Gibraltar and Spain, it is known as the Canary-bird flower." It belongs to the Nasturtiums, but is not mentioned as having any English or local name by Britten or Prior. American Lilac, Centranthus ruf)er, DC. (Valeriana rubra, L.), the Red Valerian, is so called. In Lincolnshire it is known as German lilac Anenemt, Anemone, L. Variously corrupted in local speech, either by metatheftis of m and 7i, or in order to adapt an unin- telligible name to local ideas. Thus we hear the Anemone called "Enemy-flower," " Nemony," &c. {Cf. Prior, p. 6, 7.) Anise, Alysgum> maritimum, L. The same as Sweet Alice. The change of Z to n and vice versa is common, as we see in "Chimley"