DERIVATIONS OF THE LATIN NAMES OF PLANTS. 185 



not stand. As death ensues from the excessive stimulant action of the poison of 

 the Rattle-snake, and of the saliva of a rabid animal, upon the muscular system, 

 I consider that a cure is effected by the peculiar sedative power of the Alisma, 

 or anti- spasmodic, relaxing the spasms ; and I believe it will be found to be an. 

 effectual specific for the cure of these two dreadful maladies, and also of tetanus. 

 The best mode of administering it, when the difficulty of swallowing comes on, 

 is to scrape about an ounce of the solid root, and let it be eaten between two 

 slices of bread. The dose to be repeated in an hour, if the spasms are not 

 relieved. It is called Water Plantain on account of the resemblance between 

 its leaves and those of the Common Plantain {Plantago major). 



Allium. — From oleo to smell, on account of its disagreeable odour; or from 

 *\tv, to avoid, as being unpleasant to most people ; or, according to Hooker, 

 from the Celtic all, which signifies acrid, burning. It is a genus of strongly 

 scented bulbous plants, all of them edible, and some of them of the greatest 

 antiquity as pot-herbs. 



Allium ampeloprasum, Great Round-headed Garlic. — The bulbs are white and 

 globose, increasing rapidly in a garden, by lateral offsets, till they compose a mass 

 as big as a man's head, resembling a bunch of grapes ; whence the old Greek name 

 of the plant, Ampeloprasum, vine-garlic, might have originated ; but a name of 

 similar construction has been applied to several species from their being prevalent 

 in the Vineyards of some countries. In this luxuriant condition it seldom pro- 

 duces flowers. Withering observes that the trivial name may have been 

 derived from u^nnXos, a Vine, and npxo-os, leeky ; alluding to the root, and its 

 appendages. It is eaten along with other pot-herbs. It communicates its flavour 

 to the milk and butter of Cows that feed upon it. 



Allium arenarium, Sand Garlic. — As a curious instance of viviparous produc- 

 tion and retentive vitality, it is recorded, on authority of a writer in the Mag. 

 Nat. Hist., that the seeds in specimens of this plant, which had been kept for 

 two years, were found germinating in the calyx, and some had even put forth 

 their cotyledons. The flowers are deep red and intermixed with dark purple, 

 ovate pointed bulbs, by which, as well as by the root, the plant is increased ; but 

 Sir J. E. Smith remarks, that such species as bear these bulbs among their flowers 

 seldom perfect any seed. 



Allium carinatum, Mountain Garlic. — This plant has but little of the Garlic 

 smell. Sir J. E. Smith doubts if it is really distinct from A. oleraceum, though 

 it differs in the flatter form of its leaves and somewhat in size. 



Allium vineale, Crow Garlic. — The young shoots are eaten in salads, or boiled 

 as a pot-herb. 



Allium oleraceum, Wild Garlic, Streaked Field Garlic— The whole plant has 

 an unpleasant smell, and is a very troublesome weed, difficult of extirpation, 



vol. in. — no. xix. 2 c 



