60 FLOWERS OF THE FIELDS AND MEADOWS 



its foot cured by the plant. The specific name, nigra, is Latin for 

 black. Knapweed is the same as Knobweed, from its knob-like head. 

 So common a flower is certain to be known by a variety of names, 

 such as Bachelor's Buttons, Ballweed, Belweed, Black Soap, Blue 

 Tops, Boleweed, Bolwes, Bowweed, Bowwood, Bullweecl, Bunds, 

 Bundweed, Buttonweed, Centaury, Great or More Centaury, Churl's- 

 head, Clobweed, Club-weed, Cnop-wort, Cockheads, Codweed, Crop- 

 weed, Darbottle, Drumstick, Hardhead, Hardhead Horse, Hard-iron, 

 Harebottle, Harsh-weed, Horse Hardhead, Horse Knobs, Horse 

 Knops, Horse Knot, Horse-snap, Hurt-sickle, Hyrnehard, Iron- 

 heads, Iron-weed, Knapweed, Knobweed, Knop-weed, Knot-grass, 

 Knotweed, Lady's Cushion, Logger-heads, Matfellon, Shaving-brush, 

 Sweeps, Tarbottle, Tassel, Yronhard. 



Knapweed was called Bull weed because cattle were said to be fond 

 of it, and Churl's Head from its rough hairy head, Codweed because 

 the head is like a pudding bag. Drumstick is applied because the 

 head is like a drumstick, Horseknot from being used in divination, 

 and Knobweed from the round head. 



In Chaucer's day it was called Matfellon, and it was one of the 

 ingredients of the ointment " Save " for wounds and the pestilence. It 

 was also used to promote appetite, with pepper. 



ESSENTIAL SPECIFIC CHARACTERS: 



174. Centaurea nigra, L, Stem erect, rigid, furrowed, radical 

 leaves lyrate, lobecl, upper lanceolate, flowerbeads purple, with ray 

 or not, phyllaries with black fringe, pappus tufted. 



Long-rooted Cat's Ear (Hypochseris radicata, L.) 



Like the Hawkweeds, except the Mouse-ear Hawkweecl, this is 

 apparently quite a modern Composite. At the present clay it is found 

 in the Northern Temperate Zone in Europe, and N. Africa. In Great 

 Britain it is found everywhere, except in Roxburgh, as far north as 

 the Orkneys. In the Highlands one may find it growing at a height 

 of 1600 ft., and it is native in Ireland and the Channel Islands. 



The Cat's Ear is one of those exceedingly familiar meadow plants 

 that are to be found practically in every field and meadow throughout 

 the length and breadth of the land. 



It is perhaps more partial to lowland districts, though it is also 

 found on hills, and at high elevations. Like Hawksbeard it is found 

 also on waste ground and along the wayside. 



The aerial stems are scapes, or flowering stems. A characteristic 



