1863.] BOTANICAL NOTES, NOTICES, AND QUERIES. 575 



EUBUS SAXATILIS IN MERIONETHSHIRE, NoRTH WaLES. 



This bramble grows in the drier parts of the stony bed of the torrent 

 Clettwr (ascending the stream), about three hundred yards above the 

 bridge. 



Pont Clettwr, Llanderfel. 



SaRRACENIA purpurea, a cure FOR THE SmALLPOX. 



On the efficacy of the above as a remedial agent in this loathsome 

 disease, there is the following, copied from the ' Edinburgh Weekly Keview,* 

 of December 13, 1862 : — 



"During the season of 1861, the province of Nova Scotia was visited 

 by a severe attack of smallpox ; and as the disease was unusually malignant 

 and fatal, defying all the ordinary remedial agents, Dr. Morris was induced, 

 at the earnest solicitations of his friend Mr. Sang, who had elicited the 

 secret from a Mic-Mac squaw, to try the remedy ; and, to his delight, found 

 the plant possessed of the specific virtue ascribed to it by the Indian." 



This was communicated to the Eeview by Samuel H. Nibbs, 12, Ean- 

 keillor Street, Edinburgh. 



Valeriana orriciNALis, and V. sambucifolia. 



The earliest notice of these two forms or species of Valerian that I have 

 seen, is in Lobel's 'Adversaria,' 319, ed. 1576, and ' Observationes,' 

 411, same date, where both are figured. V. sylvestris minor is the 

 common form, which grows about London, and V. sylvestris major is the 

 form which I have seen both in Wales and in Scotland. 



Clusius' figures on page Iv. Hist. Plantarum, appear as if they had 

 been taken from the same blocks used in printing those of Lobel. 



Parkinson, 123, and Gerard, 1075, are, as usual, faithful copiers of 

 their great predecessors ; their impressions of these two plants are as 

 faultless as photographs. 



Deadly Nightshade. 

 " The insane root that takes the reason prisoner." — Macbeth. 



You have already given some notes in the ' Phytologist' on this subject, 

 but I am not certain whether the insane root of Shahspeare has been iden- 

 tified. I find, in a work by John Thomson, called ' Etymon of English 

 Words,' the following : — 



" Dwale, a noxious plant, a species of Solamim ; G. duala, T. toll, 

 B. doll, Swed. and D. dwala, delirium, folly, insanity, swooning, trance, 

 all which effects are produced by Deadly Nightshade, which was formerly 

 used in witchcraft. 



" Dtcaule, v. a., to rave, to be delirious, to talk idly." 



Culverkeys. The same work gives the following : — 



" Culverkeys, the flower Columbine. 



" Culver, a wood-pigeon ; S. culfre, from L. columba. 



" Keys, flowers or fruit, such as the Cowslip, or Ash-pods, which hang 

 like bunches of keys." 



Could not some of your correspondents inform us whether they have 

 ever heard the Columbine called Culverkey by the common people ? 



S. Beisly. 



