The Scottish Naturalist 71 



Latin (ros, dew, and marinus). the sea-dew. Rbs Afhairi, Mary's 

 rose, or rosemary. Welsh : rbs 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: lus-na-tuise, 

 the incense plant, on account of its fragrant odour. An /us Hath, 

 the grey weed. Lothail, " uisge an lothail" lavender-water. 



Satureia hortensis — Garden savory. Gaelic : garbhag ghar- 

 aidh. the coarse or rough garden plant, from garbh, rough, &c. 



Salvia verbenacea — Clary. The Gaelic and Irish name, torman, 

 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 : clears 

 bright). 



S. officinalis — Garden-sage (of which there are many varieties). 

 Gaelic : athair /lath, the grey father. Saisde (from sage). Slan /us, 

 the healing plant, corresponding with salvia (Latin : salvere, to 

 save). It was formerly of great repute in medicine. Armstrong 

 remarks : " Bha barail ro mhbr aig na sean Eadalltich do 'n lus 

 so, mar a chithear o'n rann a leanas, — 



" Cur moriatur homo cui salvia crescit in horto?" 



" C arson a gheibheaclh cluine bas, 

 Aig am bheil saisde fas na gharaidh ? " 



Why should the man die who has sage growing in his garden ? 



Teucrium scorodonia — Wood - sage. Gaelic : saisde coi/le, 

 wood-sage. Saisde Jiadhaiu, wild sage. O'Reilly gives the name 

 ebeirs/uaigh, perhaps from obar, shall be refused, and s/uagh, 

 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 : 

 /us mhic righ Bhreatainn, the plant belonging to the king of 

 Britain's son. Lus an righ, the king's plant. This plant had the 

 reputation of giving courage and strength through its smell ; 

 hence the English thyme (from Greek : Ov^os, thynws, courage, 

 strength, — virtues which were essential to kings and princes in 

 olden times). Highlanders take an infusion of it to prevent dis- 

 agreeable dreams. Welsh : tcini. 



