130 POPULAR NAMES 



LADY FERN, from its Latin name in modern works, 



Asplenium filix fbemina, Bern. 



LADY'S FINGERS from its palmate bracts, 



An thy His vulneraria, L. 



LADY'S GARTERS, from the ribbon-like striped leaves, a 

 variety of Digraphis arundinacea, P.B. 



LADY'S HAIR, the quake-grass, Briza media, L. 



LADY'S LACES, dodder, from its string-like stems, 



Cuscuta. 



LADY'S LOOKING-GLASS, from the resemblance of its ex- 

 panded flower set on the elongated ovary to an ancient 

 metallic mirror on its straight handle, 



Campanula hybrida, L. 



LADY'S MANTLE, from the shape and vandyked edge of 

 the leaf, a translation of its Arabic name al kemelyeh, Sw. 

 Mariekapa, Alchernilla vulgaris, L. 



LADY'S NAVEL, see NAVELWORT, 



Umbilicus pendulinus, DC. 



LADY'S NIGHTCAP, in Wiltshire, (Akerman) the larger 

 bindweed, Convolvulus sepium, L. 



LADY'S SEAL, or^-siGNET, M. Lat. Sigillum Stce. Maries, 

 a name that in the older writers is correctly given to a Con- 

 vallaria, the plant now called Solomon's seal, from round 

 cicatrices on the root-stock, which resemble the impressions 

 of a seal, but has been injudiciously transferred to a different 

 plant, the black bryony, which has no such characteristic 

 markings. This change seems to have been introduced by 

 the herb-sellers. The latter plant, the bryony, is described 

 by Fernelius and others as one, "quse herbariis et officinis 

 sigillum beatse Mariae nuncupatur." Csesalpinus, and 

 Matthiolus tell us that the former, the Convallaria, was called 

 indifferently St. Mary's or Solomon's seal. " Sunt qui poly- 

 gonatum sigillum 8. Maries, et qui sigillum Salomonis 

 vocitent." Matt, in Diosc. 1. iv. c. 5. " It is al one herbe, 

 Solomon's seale, and our Lady's scale," says the Grete 



