DARNEL 159 



tive grass, from ruinnec, grass, and tcalach, loosening." A writer 

 remarks as to the name Sturdy: " Near the sea-coast a sort of Poyson, 

 I take it, called darnell, rises in the oats and other grain, very offen- 

 sive to the brain, and cannot be cleaned out of the corn; ye country 

 people call it sturdy, from the effects of making people light-headed ". 

 The seeds cause giddiness, and there is a vertigo in sheep called 

 "Sturdy" or "Staggers", hence probably the application to Darnel, 

 and meat is said to be sturdied when it has much Darnel. 



" But Bragge amongst the corn aspires proudlie 

 Onemphe eau lookinge above the reste, 

 Advancing his brighte creste presumptuouslie 

 Even to the stars, as though he were the beste, 

 Who, being lighte, and fruitlesse of all grayne, 

 For want of weight, showes all pride is vayne." 



It is called Cheat, " from its resemblance to the grain amongst 

 which it grows a name applied, for the same reason, in some places 

 to Br omits secalinus, L.". 



" Darnel groweth amonge the corne," says Turner, "and the corne 

 goeth out of kynde into darnel." Drunk refers to its intoxicating 

 qualities. 



Cokkil Meal, as it was called, was supposed to cure freckles. In 

 Chaucer's day it was used for " festour and morsowe ". 



ESSENTIAL SPECIFIC CHARACTERS: 



342. Lolium temulentum, L. Stem erect, tall, leaves flat, long, 

 ligule short, awn long, glumes longer than the spikelets. 



