174 THE STORY OF PLANT LIFE 



anthers. The anthers and stigma ripen together. 

 The flowers are adapted to bees, which may cross- 

 polHnate them. 



The nutlets fall, when ripe, near the plant. 



Amongst the names by which this plant is known 

 are Ashthroat, Berbine, Columbine, Pigeon's Grass, 

 Holy Herb, Juno's Tears, Mercury's Moist Blood, 

 Simpler's Joy. 



As some of the above names indicate great venera- 

 tion was accorded to this plant in the past. When 

 the gods held a feast it was used to cleanse the 

 table. Vervain was also employed to purify the 

 house. Henslow, in his * Uses of Plants,' cites an 

 old author thus, in reference to its reputed value as 

 a vulnerary : " If a man lie sick, to know whether 

 he shall live or die, take Vervain in thy right 

 hand, and take his right hand in thine, and let the 

 herb be between so that he does not know it. Ask 

 him how he fareth, and how he hopeth of himself. 

 If he say he shall live and fare well, for certain 

 then he shall live and fare well. But if he say 

 he hopeth of no life, know well for certain that he 

 shall die of that evil.'' This is a fair sample of the 

 Materia medica of the Middle Ages. By doctrine of 

 signatures it was also used as an eye salve, from the 

 eye-like corolla. 



Verbena officinalis. — Note in Fig. 49 the wiry, 

 spreading branches, the pinnatifid lower leaves, the narrow, 

 lance-shaped upper leaves, the dense, slender spike, with 

 small distant flowers. 



