wo AD 171 



allusion to the shape of the Iravcs, and ofjuiiia/is. means "used in 

 medicine ". 



The English names are 15atl Man's Oatmeal, Scroohx" Crass, 

 Scurvy Grass, Scurvy Cress, Scurvy Weed, Spuonwdri, the lauer 

 alludino- to the shape of the leaves. 



The plant is endowed with antiscorbutic [jropcrtics by the older 

 writers, hence some of the names. It certainly contains much oil, and 

 niiu;ht be used more lari.;ely as a salad. It was used for aL;ue in 

 Gerard's day. It is a stimulant to the digestive organs. 



EssliXri.\L Si'ECIKK- ClI.VKACTKKS: — 



29. Coi/i/cana otfu'iinr/is, L, — Stems llesliy, nuiiurous, rootinc^, 

 radical leaves renitorm, cordate, stem-leaves sessile, oblong, toothed, 

 flowers small, while, capsule a subylobo.se pouch, style short. 



Woad (Isalis tinclori.i, L.) 



In s[)ite of its reputed use by the early liritons no trace of this 

 plant has been found even in Neolithic or Roman deposits. It is found 

 throughout Europe and in N. Asia. The ancient Hritons are usually 

 said to have used it to stain their bodies with a blue d\ e they pre- 

 pared from it, and the Saxons imported it. Watson regards it as 

 an alien and sporadic, e.xcept in the two localities where it is said to 

 be wild. 



Woad is regarded as wild on the clifls at Tewkesbury on the l)anks 

 of the Severn. It has become naturalized at Guildford, and is culti- 

 vated at Wisbech, where it is used to fi.\ indigo. Its more or less 

 restricted range in Britain does not give one an adequate idea of its 

 former occurrence. If the Hritons used it there should be .some traces 

 of it in Roman deposits, but, as w^e have seen, there are none. 



Woatl is a tall, erect plant, with a single main stem, dividing" at the 

 top into numerous branches devoid of leaves. The radical leaves are 

 stalked, and oblong or tongue-shaped, those on the stem are arrow- 

 shaped, with long, pointed ear-like lobes. The stem is stout and 

 strong, and the plant is a vigorous grower, bluish-green and smooth. 



There are numerous, crowded yellow flowers in close panicles, with 

 equal sepals and petals, the tlower-stalks being slender and bent back 

 in fruit. The pods are three times as long as broad, wedge-like, 

 narrow below, broad in the middle or spoon-shaped, and blunt in front, 

 with a narrow margin, and hang down when ripe, giving the phuit a 

 flrooping appearance. WHien ripe they turn brown. 



The stem grows to a height of 4 ft. when well developed. July 



