GOOD KING HENRY 229 



Syrphidse, Melanostoma mellina. The fruit is a utricle which falls 

 when ripe around the plant, and being enclosed in a membranous calyx 

 it may be partially wind-dispersed. All-good is largely a sand-loving 

 plant growing on sand soil. 



A fungus, Peronospora effusa, attacks All-good. A beetle, Cassida 

 nobilis; a Hymenopterous insect, J^axonus glabratus; several Lepi- 

 doptera, Dog's Tooth (Mamestra suasa), the Nutmeg (M. chciwpodii\ 

 Orache Moth (Hadena atriplicis], Dark Spinach (Eubolia comitata\ 

 Plain Pug (Eupithecia subnotata], Pterophorns ptcrodactylns, Gc/ccliia 

 atriplicella, Obscure Wainscot (G. obsoletella), G. nteviferella, G. hcr- 

 mannella, Butalis chenopodiella, Coleophora anmtlatclla, Jlcliodincs 

 rossella, Idcea straminata, feed on it. 



Chenopodiiim, Pliny, is from the Greek chen, goose, and potts, foot, 

 because the leaves are like a goose's foot. The second Latin name 

 refers to the white appearance, due to a mealy tomentum. 



This well-known plant is known by several common names, such as 

 Biacon-weed, Dirtweed, Dirty Dick, Drought-weed, Fat Hen, Frost- 

 bite, Hen-fat, Lamb's-quarters, Lamb's-tongue, Mails, Melgs, Midden. 

 Myles or Milies, Milds or Miles, Muck-weed, Mutton-tops, Rag Jag, 

 Wild Spinach. It was called Biacon-weed or Bacon Weed, because 

 it denotes rich, fat land, and Dirtweed, Dirty Dick, &c., because it 

 grows on manure heaps. It is sold in May by the countrywomen in 

 Ireland by the name of Lamb's-quarters. " Boil Myles in water and 

 chop them with butter, and you will have a good dish " is an old 

 saying. The name Mutton-tops refers to the young tops or shoots. 

 It was boiled and eaten like greens, and eaten as a pot-herb in 

 Scotland. 



ESSENTIAL SPECIFIC CHARACTERS: 



264. Chenopodium album, L. Stem tall, erect, branched, leaves 

 ovate, upper lanceolate, toothed, base triangular, flowers in distant 

 clustered spikes, seeds smooth. 



Good King Henry (Chenopodium Bonus- Henricus, L.) 



Mercury as it was called, once so commonly a kitchen -garden 

 weed, or herb rather, has no record in the ancient past to indicate 

 its more than recent origin. It is found to-day in the Temperate 

 Northern Zone of Europe and in Siberia, and has been introduced into 

 N. America. It is not found in Cardigan, Mid Lanes, W. Highlands 

 except the Clyde Islands, in the N. Highlands except in Ross and 

 E. Sutherland, and not in the N. Isles, but elsewhere from Caithness 



