pPant Tsore, Istec^er^f, and Isijric/', 399 



ornament conspicuously the Garden of Paradise. An odoriferous 

 water is distilled from the flowers, and the bark is used medicinally. 



KERNEL-^Al^ORT. — The Scrophularia wo^wn has obtained the 

 name of Kernel-wort, from its having kernels or tubers attached to 

 its roots, and, therefore, as Gerarde remarks, " it is reported to be 

 a remedy against those diseases whereof it tooke his name." It 

 appears to have been more particularly employed as a cure for the 

 King's-evil ; but the old herbalist tells us that " divers do rashly 

 teach that if it be hanged about the necke, or else carried about 

 one, it keepeth a man in health." 



KERZEREH. — The Kerzrah,or Kerzereh, is the name of an 

 Eastern flower, the odour of which would seem to have deadly pro- 

 perties. It is well known in Persia, and there, it is commonly said, 

 that if a man inhale the hot south-wind, which in June or July 

 passes over the Kerzereh-flowers, it will undoubtedly kill him. 



KETAKI. — The Indian name of the Screw Pine, Pandantis 

 odoratissimus, is Ketaki, the male and female flowers of which are 

 borne on separate trees. The male flowers are dried, and are then 

 much in vogue as a scent by Indian ladies. These flowers are said 

 by the native poets to be dear to the god Siva ; and so exquisite is 

 their perfume, that the bee, intoxicated by it, mistakes the golden 

 blossom for a beauteous nymph, and, blinded with passion, loses its 

 wings. 



KING'S CUP. — The Buttercup (Ranunculus hdbosus) is also 

 called King's Cup, from the resemblance of its buds to a gold stud 

 such as Kings wore. This flower was dedicated in mediaeval times 

 to the Virgin Mary, and is the Mary-bud alluded to by Shakspeare 

 in ' Cymbeline ' — 



" And twinkling Mary-buds begin 

 To ope their golden eyes." 



Kiss-ME-ERE-i-RisE. — Scc Pausy. 



Kiss me-twice-beforei-rise. — See Katharine's Flower. 



Knight's Spurs. — See Larkspur. 



KNOT GRASS. — The Centinode, or Knot Grass {Polygonum 

 aviculare) derives its name from the knottiness of its stem and its 

 Grass-like leaves. In 'A Midsummer Night's Dream,' Shakspeare 

 refers to this plant as "the hindering Knotgrass," because its 

 decocftion was, in olden times, believed to be efficacious in stopping 

 or retarding the growth of children, as well as of the young of 

 domestic animals. Thus, in Beaumont and Fletcher's 'Coxcomb,' 

 we read : — 



" We want a boy, 

 Kept under for a year with milk and Knotgrass." 



Gerarde says that "it is given unto swine with good success when 

 they are sick, and will not eat their meat, whereupon country 

 people do call it Swiue's-grass or Swine's-skir." 



