THE AMERICAN BOTANIST 23 



weeds less beautiful. The name "ranstead", or "ransted", 

 which collo(iuial speech has corrupted to "rancid" is the name 

 of its introducer, and is all that is left to it of the days when it 

 was held in high repute. The bright yellow and orange of its 

 blossoms are responsible for many of its common names such 

 as "butter-and-eggs", "eggsrand-bacon", and "bread-and-but- 

 ter". "Rabit ears", "rabbit flower", and "snapdragon" refers 

 to the shape of the flowers and "Jacob's ladder" to the form of 

 the inflorescence. The slender leaves, much like those of the 

 flax, have suggested "flax-weed", "toad flax" and "yellow 

 toad-flax". At first glance it is a mystery how the toad became 

 connected with this plant, but it is said on good authority that 

 the plant was originally called buboniwn because used in curing 

 an affliction known as buboes. Since Bufo is the technical 

 name of the toad the similarity of sound made the transfer 

 easy. Entirely inexplicable are "bride-weed", "bride-wort", 

 "impudent lawyer" and "gall- weed" though the last two sug- 

 gest some points of similarity. 



Linaria cymbalaria is the familiar creeping plant known as 

 "Kenilworth ivy". It has a number of other names of similar 

 meaning such as "coliseum ivy", "Oxford-weed", ivy-weed", 

 "ivy-leaved toad-flax", "wandering Jew^", "mother-of-thous- 

 ands", and "climbing" or "roving sailor". The name of "pen- 

 nywort" probably refers to the shape of the leaves but this 

 term, like several others applied to it, are general terms used 

 for many other plants. Both L. spuria and L. elatine are called 

 "cancer-root" without adequate reason. These plants also bear 

 the name of "female fluellin" which appears to be a corruption 

 of a Welsh phrase meaning "Llewellyn's herbs or plants". Thj 

 l)articular Llewellyn referred to, is the Welsh Prince mention- 

 ed in the legend of the hound, Gellert. 



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