U6 COMI^OSlT^ 



the Pentateucli, could not be ignorant of what herbs were usually eaten at 

 that season in their day. Five sorts of plants are stated by the Mishna, any 

 one of which might be taken by the Jews on this occasion : the wild lettuce ; 

 the endive ; a plant which some writers explain to mean the horehound, the 

 young tops of horseradish, or a thistle ; another, which is by some called a 

 nettle ; and lastly, one which is supposed to be the bitter coriander. 



Snb-Order II. Thistle Tribe (Cymrocephalce). 



16. Burdock {Arctium). 



Common Burdock {A. lappa). — Leaves heart-shaped, stalked ; heads 

 large, usually corymbose ; inner scales of the involucre awl-shaped, with a 

 sharp point, longer than the florets. This form is the A. majus of some 

 writers ; but a variety occurs in which the heads are much smaller, growing 

 more in the form of a raceme, and the sharply-pointed inner scales of the 

 involucre are shorter than the florets. This is sometimes described as 

 A. minus, and regarded as a sub-species. This large biennial plant is known 

 to every one by the conspicuous prickly burs which invest it during autumn, 

 and which are the involucres of its summer flowers. To this bur — this ball 

 of hooked scales, covered more or less with a slight web of cottony down— the 

 plant owes its numerous country names, as Great Bur and Hurbur. Cul- 

 pepper says, " They are called Personata, and Loppy major, Great Burdock, 

 and Clod-bur; it is so well known, even by the little boys, who pull off the 

 Burs to throw and stick upon one another, that I shall spare to write any 

 description of it." The name Lapjm is from the Celtic Ilap, a hand, because 

 it catches by its hooks at passing objects ; and boys try to catch bats by 

 throwing the burs at these animals. As the hooks cling to the fur or feathers 

 of wild creatures the seeds get shaken out one at a time, and so widely 

 scattered along the hedge and ditch. 



The Burdock is a rough-looking plant, having a stem three or four — and 

 occasionally seven — feet high, with leaves around its root larger than those 

 of any native plant, except the butter-bur. The foliage is dull green, and 

 the flowers, which expand in July and August, are purplish-lilac, looking 

 somewhat like thistle-flowei-s. 



The Bui-dock has an old reputation for curing rheumatism, the large 

 leaves being applied to the painful limb. The roots were formerly preserved 

 with sugar, and eaten fasting, as a remedy in pulmonary affections. Though 

 the remedial virtues of the plant were doubtless overrated by the old 

 herbalists, who prized it for a large number of disorders, yet the Burdock 

 has undoubted medicinal uses. The slightly acrid and bitter seeds have been 

 found serviceable in some cases ; and a decoction of the root forms one of 

 those ptisans so commonly recommended by French physicians in pectoral 

 complaints. The plant is still considered by competent judges as of some 

 use, even when outwardly applied, in the healing of wounds. Sir Robert 

 Walpole praised a decoction of the roots as a remedy for gout ; and this is 

 considered by several medical botanists, among them Dr. Withei^ng, as equal, 

 if not superior, in properties to sarsapai'illa, in rheumatic affections. Few 

 animals will touch the leaves of the Burdock ; but the birds which sing their 



