Page:Glossary of words in use in Cornwall.djvu/313

44 A GI1O8SABT OF DEVONSHIRE PLANT NAMES. Bursa padoria^ L.)* I believe the syllable "pick" in this case is a corruption of pix or piaae^ and that after the old fisdry name had been forgotten "pocket" was added from the old name for Shep- herd's Pnrsey and so " Pix-pocket " and " Pick-pocket " were formed. (See PiziB.) Pig's Cole, Heraeleum Sphondylium^ L. It is thrown out of the hay because it is too coarse to dry quickly, and would be likely to heat the rick. (See Britten's remarks on " Fire-leaves.") "Cole'^ here a a good old word. (See Clama CdUmd. i p. 62.) February was originally called " Sprout-kele," the latter part of the word meaning " cole-wort " or cole, cala (Prior, p. 35.) The plant is more usually known as Hogweed. Cole says, "Hogs feed on it with a great deal of greedines&" {Of, Britten, p. 262.) Pig's £abs, Sedum acre, L., and other varieties of Stonecrop. On account of the thick fleshy spikes which serve for leaves. Britten gives " Mouse's Tail " as a synonym. (See Cbowdt-kit-o'- THB-WALL.) Pig's Nose. A certain kind of apple, so called, like " Duck's- bill," from the shape. . Piles, Beard of Barley. Qf. Oils, &c. Pincushion, (1) Armeria maritima^ L. The Sea-pink or Thrift Britten says possibly this may have been ^' Pink-<5Ushion," a very laudable suggestion were it not shared by flowers which are not pink. (2) 8cdbio9a Atropurpiirea, L. The white stamens of this plant have much the appearance of the heads of pins sticking out of a velvety cushion. (Of, Britten, p. 296.) (3) Corydalis Mea, DC. (See Lady's Pincushion.) Pinky, PcBoma corallina, Betz. A very common corruption of Peony or Piony. (See Prior, p. 180 ; Earle, p. 33.) Pink. A name vaguely applied to any flower with pink blossoms, whose name is not easily remembered. Among others we have — [1) Dianthiis Caryophylltts, L. Called May Pink (which see). ^2) Armeria marltima, L. See under Pincushion. (3) Saxifraga umbrosOy L., or London Pride. On the etymology of the word see Prior^s interesting note, p. 184. PiSKiE, Pixie, or Pixy, (1) Stdlaria HolonteOy L. This was the regular name for the Stitchwort around Plymouth some years ago. The children still say that if you gather the flowers you will be pixy-led. I have treated fully the subject of fisdry flowers in the first chapter of my work on European Flower Lore (Messrs. W. Swan Sonnenschein, and Co.). So far as I am aware, no attempt had previously been made to bring together anything like an ex- haustive body of notes on fairy flower-lore ; and as much of my information has been derived from Devonshire itself, I may be excused, perhaps, for drawing attention to the matter here. (2) A Plymouth garden^s catalogue . last year contained the name of Little Pixie " as applied to a kind of Savoy cabbage. I