GOOD KING HENRY 229 



Syrphidffi, Melanostoma vicl/i)ia. The fruit is a utricle wliicli falls 

 when ripe around the plant, ami being enclosed in a membranous calvx 

 it may be partially wind-chsper.sed. All-good is largely a sand-loving 

 plant growing on sand soil. 



A fungus, Peronospoi'a cjjitsa, attacks All-good. A beetle, Cassida 

 nobilis; a Hymenopterous insect, Taxoinis glabratus\ several Lepi- 

 doptera, Dog's Tooth [Maiucslra siiasa), the Nutmeg {M. cluitopodii), 

 Orache Moth {Hadena atriplicis). Dark Spinach {^Etibolia coiiiitata), 

 Plain Pug {Eiipithccia subnotata), Pterophoriis pterodactylits, Hclccliia 

 atriplicella. Obscure Wainscot (6". obsoletclld), G. nccvifcrclla, (j. /iir- 

 niannella, Butalis chenopodiclla, Colcophora aumi/atclhu Hcliodiiics 

 rossella, Idcea straniiuata, feed on it. 



Chcnopodimn, Piin\-, is from the Greek cheu, goose, ^n6. poiis, foot, 

 because the leaves are like a goose's foot. The second Latin name 

 refers to the white appearance, due to a mealy tomentum. 



This well-known plant is known by several common names, such as 

 Biacon-weed, Dirtweed, Dirty Dick, Drought-weed, 1-^at Hen, F"rost- 

 bite, Hen-fat, Lamb's-quarters, Lamb's-tongue, Mails, Meigs, Midden, 

 Myles or Milies, Milds or Miles, Muck-weed, Mutton-tops, Rag Jag, 

 Wild Spinach. It was called Biacon-weed or Bacon Weed, because 

 it denotes rich, fat land, and Dirtweed, Dirty Dick, &c., because it 

 grows on manure heaps. It is sold in May by the countrywomen in 

 Ireland by the name of Lamb's-quarters. " Boil Myles in water and 

 chop them with butter, and you will have a good dish " is an old 

 saying. The name Mutton-tops refers to the young tops or shoots. 

 It was boiled and eaten like greens, and eaten as a pot-herb in 

 Scotland. 



Essential Specific Characters: — 



264. Chenopodium albiini, L. — Stem tall, erect, branched, leaves 

 ovate, upper lanceolate, toothed, base triangular, flowers in distant 

 clustered spikes, seeds smooth. 



Good King Henry (Chenopodium Bonus-Henricus, L.) 



Mercury as it was called, once so commonly a kitchen -garden 

 weed, or herb rather, has no record in the ancient past to indicate 

 its more than recent origin. It is found to-day in the Temperate 

 Northern Zone of Europe and in .Siberia, and has been introduced into 

 N. America. It is not found in Cardigan, Mid Lanes, W. Highlands 

 except the Clyde Islands, in the N. Highlands e.xcept in Ross and 

 E. Sutherland, and not in the N. Isles, but elsewhere from Caithness 



