140 DICTIONARY OF POPULAR NAMES COWSLIP 



Cowslip (Primula veris), a perennial herb of the Primrose 

 family (Primiilaceae), native of this country ; it is known in some 

 parts of the country by the name of Pea Gulls. It grows in moist 

 places. By the ancient herbalists it was held in high repute 

 for the cure of many disorders, but it has now lost its reputa- 

 tion. In some parts of the country wine is made from the 

 flowers, known as Cowslip Wine, which is very sparkling and 

 pleasant. 



Cowslip, American {Dodecatlieon Meaclia), a perennial herb 

 of the Primrose family (Primulacese), native of the warm parts 

 of North America ; introduced to this country about the middle 

 of the last century, and has been always held in esteem as an 

 ornamental and interesting plant in botanic gardens, and in 

 private collections by amateurs. The scientific name is of 

 fanciful derivation, meaning "twelve divinities," and in the 

 Western States it is called Shooting Star. 



Cowslip, Cape, a name given to the different species of Zachen- 

 alia. There are a considerable number of species native of the Cape 

 of Good Hope ; they are bulbous-rooted plants of the Liliaceae, 

 producing radical lanceolate leaves often spotted; the flowers 

 are pendulous, produced on a stalk about 6 inches high, and are 

 generally of a yellow colour. The species form ornamental 

 plants in our greenhouses. 



Crab's Eyes. (See Bead Trees.) 



Crab Oil, a name in Guiana for the oil expressed from the 

 seeds of Carapa gidanensis, a tree of the Bead-tree family 

 (Meliacese), native of Guiana ; it attains a height of 60 to 80 

 feet, having large, shining, winged leaves of firm texture. Its 

 fruit consists of a globose hard shell about 4 inches in diameter, 

 containing a number of large, brown, thick, wedge-shaped seeds, 

 closely packed, which yield an oil used by the Indians for anoint- 

 ing their hair, and small quantities are imported into this 

 country. Its wood takes a fine polish, and is used for many 

 purposes in Demerara. Under the name of C. guineensis, a 

 similar tree has been described, native of Western tropical 

 Africa. It differs but little from the preceding except in having 



