218 POPULAR NAMES 



SPART-GRASS, in the Northern counties (Brockett), " a 

 dwarf rush common on moors and wastes," Sp. esparto. 

 See SPURT-GRASS. Spartina stricta, Sm. 



SPATLING-POPPY, from A.S. spatlian, froth, from the 

 spittle-like froth often seen upon it caused by the bite of 

 an insect, Silene inflata, L. 



SPEAR-GRASS, in Shakspeare (Henry IV. 1st part, a. ii. 

 sc. 4), and in Lupton's Notable Things, a plant used to 

 tickle the nose and make it bleed, perhaps the common 

 reed, Phragmites communis, Trin. 



SPEAR-MINT or SPIRE-MINT, from its spiry, not capitate 

 inflorescence, Mentha viridis, L. 



SPEEDWELL, from its corolla falling off and flying away 

 as soon as it is gathered ; " Speed- well !" being equivalent 

 to "Farewell!" "Good-bye!" and a common form of 

 valediction in old times. " Forget-me-not," a name that 

 has since passed to a myosotis, appears to have first been 

 given to this plant, and addressed to its fleeting flowers. 

 See FORGET-ME-NOT. Veronica Chamsedrys, L. 



SPELT, the same word in Du. G. Da. and Sw. the It. 

 spelda, Sp. espelta, Fr. espeautre, from G. spalten, split. 

 Spelt is explained in Levin's Manipulus by eglumare, to 

 husk. Triticum Spelta, L. 



SPERAGE, Fr. esperage, from L. asparagus, 



Asparagus officinalis, L. 



SPIKENEL, SPICKNEL, or SPIGNEL, Sp. espiga, spike, and 

 eneldo, from L. anetkum, dill, a plant that was imported 

 from Spain under that name ; see Lyte, b. iii. c. 15 ; 



Meum athamanticum, L. 



SPINACH, It. spinace, derived, according to Diez and 

 Scheler, through a presumed M.Lat. spinaceus, spiny, from 

 L. spina, a thorn, in allusion to its sharp-pointed leaves, or, 

 as others with more reason say, to its prickly fruit. If we 

 assume a word for which we have no authority, spinax 

 would bring us nearer to the It. spinace than spinaceus. 



