OF BRITISH PLANTS. 177 



PEARL-PLANT, from its smooth hard pearly seed, 



Lithospernmm officinale, L. 



PEARL-GRASS, from its glittering panicles, 



Briza maxima, L. 



PEARL-WORT, from its being used to cure a disease of 

 the eye called pearl, Sagina, L. 



PEASELING, an inferior Pea, (compare Chickling, Vetch- 

 ling, Crambling), Orobus, L. 



PEGROOTS, (Dale, p. 177) the green hellebore, from 

 its roots being used by cattle doctors in the operation of 

 pegging or Bettering. See SETTERWORT. 



Helleborus viridis, L. 



PELL-A-MOUNTAIN, or PENNY MOUNTAIN, corruptions of 

 aerpyllum montanum, hill thyme, Thymus Serpyllum, L. 



PELLITORY, or PARITORY, OF THE WALL, L. parietaria, 

 from paries, a house-wall, into which this weed usually 

 grows, Parietaria officinalis, L. 



PELLITORY, or PELLETER OF SPAIN, Sp. pelitre, L. pyre- 

 thrum, Gr. irvpedpov, " by reason of his hot and fiery taste," 

 says Gerard e, p. 758. The term Pellitory of Spain seems 

 merely to refer to its being the plant called so in Spain, 

 and not to its being brought thence. 



Anacyclus Pyrethruin, DC. 



PENNY-CRESS, from its round flat silicules, resembling 

 silver pennies, Thlaspi arvense, L. 



PENNY-GRASS, from its round seeds like silver pennies, 

 Rhinanthus Crista galli, L. 



PENNY-ROT, in Lyte PENNY-GRASS, from its character of 

 giving sheep the rot, and its small round leaves, 



Hydrocotyle vulgaris, L. 



PENNY-ROYAL, from L. puleium regium, through Du. 

 poley, in the old herbals called puliol royal; its Latin name 

 being derived from its supposed efficacy in destroying fleas, 

 pulices, Pliny (b. xx. c. 54). 



Mentha Pulegium, L. 



