IVY 55 



lock, Jack -jump-about, Jeelico, Keck, Kecks, Keks, Kex, Trumpet 

 Keck, Kelk-Kecksy, Water Kesh, Kewsies Kesk, Skytes. 



The first name is for oat-shooters. Children shoot oats through 

 the hollow stems as peas are shot through a pea-shooter. Parkinson 

 says: "In Sussex they call the wilde kinde (of Angelica) Kex, and 

 the weavers winde their yarne on the dead stalks". It is called 

 Trumpet Keck because the hollow stems of this plant are made by 

 boys into trumpets. 



" Trumpet-kecks are passed unheeded by 

 Whose hollow stalks inspired such eager joy." 



This plant was considered especially noisome to witches. It was 

 called Herb of the Holy Ghost from the angel-like properties therein 

 being considered good "against poisons, pestilent agues, or the pesti- 

 lence ". Angelica was used as a cure for bites of dogs and hydro- 

 phobia, as well as an antidote for poisons. A yellow dye of a good 

 colour is derived from it. The stems are candied with sugar and 

 used as sweetmeats or put in cakes. The root and the fruit have been 

 utilized as a tonic, and are aromatic and stimulant. 



ESSENTIAL SPECIFIC CHARACTERS: 



130. Angelica sylvestns, L. Stem tall, ribbed, hollow, purple, 

 downy, leaves bipinnate, leaflets ovate, serrate, flowers in large umbels, 

 whitish-pink, carpels 5-ribbed. 



Ivy (Hedera Helix, L.) 



This is an ancient plant found in Interglacial and Neolithic beds. 

 The present distribution is Europe, N. Africa, W. Asia as far east as 

 the Himalayas, in the North Temperate Zone. Ivy is found in every 

 part of Great Britain, and ascends to 1500 ft. in Yorkshire. 



There are two forms of Ivy which favour different habitats. The 

 trailing "Ground Ivy" is fond of growing upon banks, under hedges, 

 or in woods and thickets, where it covers the ground like a carpet and 

 occasionally finds an upright support, and may be seen to merge into 

 the other type. This is essentially a climbing plant, and is found by 

 the roadside encircling in parasitic fashion the trunk of an ash or elm, 

 or in the open fields or in woods. It is especially common in gardens, 

 and is very often found on walls and houses. 



One irresistibly connects Ivy with a climbing habit, and such is its 

 most marked feature. It may attain the dimensions of a tree, with 

 thick cracked bark, and be provided on the inner side with fibres, 



