OF BRITISH PLANTS. 11 



term, in consequence of the confusion between the two 

 plants, Asarum and Baecharis, one with the other. " In 

 former times," says Parkinson (Th. Bot. p. 115), "divers 

 did thinke that Asarum and Baecharis in Dioscorides were 

 all one hearbe, and thereupon came the name of Asarabac- 

 cara; some taking Asarum to be Baecharis, and so con- 

 trarily some taking Baccharia to be Asarum." 



Inula Conyza, D.C. and Asarum europseum, L. 



ASH, A.S. CBSC, Da. and Sw. ask, O.N. askr, O.H.G. asc, 

 G. and Du. esche. From the toughness of the wood it 

 was much used for spear-shafts, and A.S. cesc came to 

 mean a spear, and cesc-plega, the game of spears, a battle. 

 Fresne in the same manner was used in France for a spear, 

 whence the expression brandir le fresne. It was further 

 extended to the man who bore it, and he was himself called 

 CBSC. Being also the wood of which boats were built, the 

 A.S. cesc and O.N. askr meant a vessel, just as a barge 

 with an oak bottom is called, from its wood, in L.Germ. 

 eeke, Du. ceke, Sw. eka. The derivation and primary 

 meaning of Ash is obscure. It is not improbably con- 

 nected with L. ascia, Gr. a%ivrj, and axe, and with L. axis, 

 an axle, from the tough wood of this tree having in all 

 times been preferred for axe handles and axletrees. 



Fraxinus excelsior, L. 



MOUNTAIN-, the rowan, from a fancied resemblance 

 of its pinnate leaves to those of the ash-tree, and its usual 

 place of growth, Pyrus aucuparia, Gart. 



ASH-WEED, AISB- or AX-WEED, from its ternate leaves 

 somewhat resembling those of the ache or celery. See 

 ACHE. j-Egopodium Podagraria, L. 



ASPARAGUS, Gr. atrTrapayo?, A. officinalis, L. 



ASPEN, the adjectival form of ASPE, the older and more 

 correct name of the tree, and that which is used by Chaucer 

 and other early writers ; A.S. cepse and cesp, G. aspe, 

 O.H.G. aspa, O.N. espi, Populus tremula, L. 



