THREE-LOBED BUTTERBUR 97 



Fleabane is essentially a peat-k)\in^- plant orowin^' in wet ground 

 which is more or less peaty, or else it is a clay-kninL; plant antl L;rcnvs 

 on a clay soil. It is common, in tact, on lias and boulder clay. 



A cluster-cup fungus, L'ronn'ces j'ltmi, infests the leaves. 



The beetles, Me/igc/fics liiDibaris, Cassida fasiiiosa, feed upon it. 



It is a food plant for several moths, Ebiilca croccalis, Cliorcittis 

 vibrana. Halouota inopiana, Scricoris fitligana, Enpa'ciiia or/sccr/nf, 

 Gclcchia bifraciclla, B. paupc/la, B. iiiopella, Acrolcpia graiiitcl/a, 

 Colcopliora troglodytclla, /'/civpl/onts litliodactylus. 



Pulicaria was given it from the l.atin ///Au", a flea (like the English 

 Fleabane), because it was said to drive away these pests, and the 

 second Latin name refers to another su[)[)osed property, namely, the 

 cure of dysentery. 



It is called Cammock, Herb Christopher, Fleabane Millet, (jerarde 

 says as to the second name; "In Cheape side the herbewomen call it 

 Herbe Christopher, and sell it to empericks, who with it (as they say) 

 make medicines for the eyes, but against what eflect ot them, or with 

 what successe, I know not ". It is called Job's Tears in Arabic, because 

 Job was supposed to have cured his ulcers with this herb. The specific 

 name alkules to the so-called curing of dysenter\- amongst the Russian 

 soldiers by its aid. Like Ploughman's Spikenard, if burnt, ov\x fore- 

 fathers said it drove away tleas and other insects. It was once also 

 employed to cure the itch. Cattle will not touch it. It is very astring- 

 ent, and the juice is saltish. 



Essential Specific Cii.\r.\cters: — 



155. Pulicaria dyscntcrica, Gray. — Stem woolh', branched, leaves 

 oblong, downy, wrinkled, flowerheads yellow, in a cor\mb, ray florets 

 wider than disk, pappus crenulate. 



Three-lobed Butterbur (L>idens tripartita. L.) 



This common a(]uatic plant, like other members ot pratal and 

 paiudal formations, is found in i'reglacial, Interglacial, and Late Glacial 

 beds. In Arctic luu-opc, North Africa, West Asia, N.W. India, N. 

 America it is found in the North Temperate and Arctic Zones. In 

 Great Britain it is found in the Peninsula province, in the Channel, 

 Thames, and Angiia provinces, except in Hunts; in the Severn pro- 

 vince; in .S. Wales, except in Radnor and Pembroke; in N. Wales, 

 except in Montgomery and Merioneth; in tlic Trtiit, in the Mersey 

 province, H umber, Tync, and Lakes provinces. In the West Low- 

 lands it is found generally, except in Kirkcudbright; in Pxlinlnirgh, 

 vni.. IV. ' ' 53 " 



