44. THE STORY OF PLANT LIFE 
inner stamens do not ripen till the stigmas are ripe, 
so that the flower is often self-pollinated. The 
achenes when ripe fall in a cluster around the plant. 
THE LESSER CELANDINE (Ranunculus Ficarta). 
Few plants are more widely dispersed than the 
Lesser Celandine or Pilewort. The name Celandine 
was given to it because there was an old tradition 
that the swallow cleared the eyesight of its young 
with this plant, and so it has been called also the 
Swallow-wort. But this is more or less a misnomer, 
because it is in bloom before the swallow comes. 
Possibly that other Celandine, a poppy-like plant 
which is much larger and for which the generic name 
is Chelidonium, is the one originally intended, as it 
flowers later, and the yellow juice yielded, like that 
of Papaver Lecogit, but stronger, is, in fact, regarded 
as a remedy for human eye diseases. I have known 
railway guards, who are frequently also herbalists, 
plying the latter trade when, as goods guards, they 
are able to travel about, and in their spare time 
botanise about the sidings, cuttings, and gardens 
along a railway, declare it, even in these days, to be 
aremedy. Asa matter of fact it closely resembles 
in appearance a mercuric ointment recommended by 
doctors for this purpose, hence perhaps, and because 
it is very acrid and astringent, the reason for its use. 
The second name in Latin, and the frequently 
used English synonym Pilewort, was applied to 
