OF BRITISH PLANTS. 219 



The analogy of other plant-names would suggest a M.Lat. 

 spinago. But the word seems to have an entirely different 

 origin. Fuchs tells us (Hist. Stirp. p. 668), that it is 

 called in Arabic Hispanach : " Arabicse factionis principes 

 Hispanack, hoc est, Hispanicum olus nominant." Dodoens 

 (b. v. i. 5) tells us also, " Spinachiam nostra setas appellat, 

 nonnulli spinacheum olus. Ab Arabibus et Serapione 

 Hispanac dicitur." Brunfelsius (ed. 1531) says expressly 

 at p. 16, "Quse.vulgo spinachia hodie, Atriplex Hispa- 

 niensis dicta est quondam ; eo quod ab Hispania primum 

 allata est ad alias exteras nationes." Tragus also calls it 

 Olus Hispanicum ; Cotgrave Her be d'Espaigne; and the 

 modern Greeks (rrrava^iov. It is only in deference to the 

 very high authority of Diez, that it has seemed necessary 

 to quote these ancient authors. Talbot in Engl. Etym. 

 takes the same view, and considers the name as meaning 

 " Spanish." Spinacia oleracea, L. 



SPINDLE-TREE, from its furnishing wood for spindles, 

 A.S. spindel, which meant, not so much the implement 

 used in spinning, as a pin or skewer, a purpose for which 

 it is used to this day, and whence it has taken its other 

 names of Gadrise, Prickwood, etc. 



Evonymus europseus, L. 



SPINKS, or BOG-SPINKS, Du. pinkster-bloem, from their 

 blossoming at pinksten or Pentecost, Gr. TrevryKovTri (see 

 PINK), the Lady's smock, Cardamine pratensis, L. 



SPIRES, or SPIRE-REED, the pool-reed, A.S. pol-spere, 

 in the Wycliffite version of Is. xix. 6, called spier, and in 

 the Owl and Nightingale, 1. 19, spire ; 



" I-meind mid spire and grene segge." 



Probably it meant a spear, A.S. spior or spere, and perhaps 

 in the first place was so named from the Spanish reed, 

 Arundo Donax, having been imported and used for missiles. 

 In later times we find this word in the sense of a pointed 

 inflorescence, as a "spyre of come," Palsg. "I spyre 



