Page:Glossary of words in use in Cornwall.djvu/317

48 A GLOSSABT OF DEYOKSHIBE PLANT NAMES. the oommon dnb-moes is ' Bobin Hood's hatband ; ' while every child is famitiar with 'ragged lobin,' and 'herb lobert.' Surely this is enough to testify to the popularity of Robert ! says the author. We think so too, and believe that if the reader will take into account the names already adduced, such as Arb-rabbit, Cock Robin, Poor Robin, Robin's £ye, &c., he will come to the same conclusion ; viz., that Robin Hood has left his mark on our flower nomenclature. Rook Plant, Sedum acre^ L. The biting Stonecrop. RooKWOOD, Agpenda odorata, L. Woodruff. Probably by transposition of the two words, which would give Ruff-wood, Roof- wood, Rock-wood. (Of. Prior, p. 257, for Woodroqf: and Earle's Plant NameSy p. 90, and compare Strawbed, &c.) Roots. Turnips, and other Mores, which see. Rosen. The plural of Rose, also retained in Buttei^rosen, Prim-rosen, &c " A tetty o' rosen " = a bunch or nosegay of Roses. " Her zet in the field, and prick'd out the toppings of rosen and jasmine in the hedges." '^ Her winder (was) deck'd out wi' pots o' rosen." — Devon, Courtship, pp. 62, 54, 58. On tiie ety- mology of the word see Prior, p. 199. Robe, Scotch. (See Scotch Rose.) RoBi^ Wild Doo. (See Wild Dog-Rose.) Roes, Tellow. (See Tellow Rose.) Rose of Sharon. A dwarf rose, grown in pots, and frequently seen in cottage windows ; it attains a height of 1 to 2 feet, and has red flowers and very dark leaves. Round Robin, Lychnis diuma, Sibth. The Rose Campion, to distinguish it from the Ragged Robin. (Lychnis Flos-cuetdif L.) {Of. Robin.) Roving Sailor, (1) Linaria Gymbalaria, Mill. The Toad-flax, or, to give it another name suggestive of its rambling nature, " MotherK>f-thousands." (2) Baadfraga sarmentosa, L. Also called ^' Mother-of-thousands." R5-BERRT, Row-BERRT, RuE-BERRT. Fruit of Tamus comnvunisy lu '^ The berries of the [Black] Bryony, hanging like clusters of wild green grapes during the summer, and changing into brilliant scarlet balls in the autumn, are objects of great beauty. They are very poisonous [see Poison Berries above], and must not mislead by their charmmg appearance." — Mrs. Lajikester's WHd Flowers^ p. 126. The syllable Ro rhymes with No, Row with Cow, Rue with True, The explanation that would at first sight appear most plausible is that the name Row-berry means Hedge-row-beiry ; but this would not account for the various pronunciations in vogue. The name is not given by any writer on plant names, or by any of the old glossaries to which I have access. But it admits of an easy and satii^actory explanation, and one which will be confirmed by the various methods of pronouncing the open vowel sound of the syllable Roid, if we connect it with A.S. Hre6w, the hreow-berry