BLUE VERVAIN 



Vervain, its flowers are more purplish, possibly a little 

 larger and a little more scattered. The leaves are 

 variable, coarse, rough, serrate, lanceolate, or lobed, 

 as it happens. This plant has now become naturalized 

 on both Atlantic and Pacific coasts. The general 

 effect of all the Vervains is very similar. 



When the reputation of many of these famous 

 plants of the Middle Ages is compared with their real 

 value, it becomes exceedingly difficult to explain the 

 basis upon which it all rested; or to comprehend how 

 any such view arose. 



The European Vervain was known as Herb-of-the- 

 Cross, Holy Herb, Enchanter's Plant, Juno's Tears, 

 Simpler's Joy. Moreover, these are but a few of the 

 many names testifying to the plant's virtue as a love- 

 philter, a bridal token, a general cure-all. One asks 

 in vain. Why? Virgil makes it a charm to recover lost 

 love; it was revered by the Druids; was sacred to 

 Thor; it was, and, perhaps, still is in parts of Europe, 

 a defense against witches on midsummer eve. One 

 sympathizes with Kipling, who writes: 



"Anything green that grew out of the mould 

 Was an excellent herb to our fathers of old. 

 Wonderful little when all is said, 

 Wonderful little our fathers knew; 

 Half of their remedies cured you dead, 

 Most of their teaching was quite untrue." 



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