WHITE WILLOW 43 



hastata), Coleophora orbitella, and a Heteropterous insect, Lygus 

 spinohe, are found on it. 



Myrica, Theophrastus, is the Greek name for tamarisk, and the 

 specific name is the same as an English name of the plant. 



Sweet Gale is called Candleberry Myrtle, Devonshire Myrtle, 

 Dutch Myrtle, Gale, Gales, Gall, Gall -bushes, Gaul, Gawan, Gold, 

 Golden Osier, Golden Withy, Gole, Goule, Gow, Goyle, Moor Myrtle, 

 Moss Wythan, Myrtle, Burren Myrtle, Scotch Gale, Stinking Willow, 

 Wild Sumac, Sweet Willow, Withwind, Withwine. As to Gale, there 

 is a place called Gale moor, from the prevalence of the plant, near 

 Whitchurch, Salop. It is called Sweet Gale from its sweet aromatic 

 odour. Gall is so called from the plant having been supposed to be 

 the gall in Scripture. Gerarde says as to the name Gaul: " This gaule 

 groweth plentifully in sandy places of England, as in the Isle of Elie, 

 and in the Fennie countries thereabouts, whereof there is such store in 

 that country, that they make fagots of it and sheaves which they call 

 Gaule sheaves to burne and heate their ovens ". 



The leaves are bitter and used in place of hops, but fragrant, and 

 yield an essential oil. The catkins boiled are suitable for making candles. 

 If not boiled a long time Bog Myrtle causes a headache. Calf-skins 

 used to be tanned with it. It dyes wool yellow. It was used in Sweden 

 to kill bugs and lice, and to cure the itch, and in Wales branches were 

 laid under the beds for this purpose. It was used as a vermifuge. 

 They use it as a garnish in I slay and Jura, and lay it between linen to 

 perfume it and keep away moth. It has been used for besoms. 



ESSENTIAL SPECIFIC CHARACTERS: 



281. Myrica Gale, L. Bushy shrub, leaves lanceolate, obovate, 

 serrate, catkins reddish, sessile, fruit with resinous glands, small. 



White Willow (Salix alba, L.) 



As with the Crack Willow there have been no traces of this tree 

 preserved in early leaf or seed deposits. It is found in the N. Temp- 

 erate Zone in Europe, N. Africa, N. and W. Asia, N.W. India. In 

 Great Britain it does not grow in N. Devon, E. Kent, Monmouth, 

 Glamorgan, Cardigan, Carnarvon, Flint, Derby, Mid Lanes, S.E. 

 Yorks, Isle of Man, Kirkcudbright, Haddington, Linlithgow, Mid 

 Perth, N. Perth, Banff, Easterness, Westerness, Mid and N. Ebudes, 

 N. Highlands, North Isles, but generally elsewhere. It is planted in 

 Sutherland and the Hebrides. In Ireland and the Channel Islands it 

 is perhaps never native. 



