Crucifer^. 



(From Latin crux, criicis, a cross, and fero, to bear, the petals 

 being arranged crosswise.) 



Crambe maritima — Seakale. Gaelic : praiseag tràg/ia, the 

 shore pot-herb, — from the Irish praiseach, Gaelic praiseag, a 

 little pot (a common name for pot-herbs). Càl na viàra, sea- 

 kale (from Greek, ^^avAos; Latin, caulis ; German, /iv/;/; Saxon, 

 cawl ; English, cole or kale ; Irish, càl ; Welsh, cawl.) 



Isatis tinctoria — Woad. The ancient Celts used to stain 

 their bodies with a preparation from this plant. Its pale-blue 

 hue was supposed to enhance their beauty, according to the 

 fashion of the time. Gaelic : guirmean, the blue one. Irish 

 and Gaelic : glas his, pale-blue weed. Welsh : glas lys. For- 

 merly called Glastum. 



" Is glas mo luibh."— OSSIAN. 

 Pale-blue is the subject of my praise. 



On account of the brightness of its manufactured colours the 

 Celts called it gived {giicde in French to this day), whence the 

 Saxon 7uad and the English woad. 



Thlaspi arvense — Penny-cress. Gaelic : praiseach fcidh, deer's 

 pot-herb. Irish : preaseach fiadh, a deer's pot-herb. 



Capsella Bursa-pastoris — Shepherd's purse. Gaelic : his mi 

 fola, the blood-weed ; an sporran, the purse. Irish : sraidin, a 

 lane, a walk, Welsh : purs y bugail, shepherd's purse (bugail, 

 from Greek (SvkoXo';, a shepherd). 



Cochlearia officinalis — Scurvy -grass. Gaelic: a inaraich, 

 sailor; carran, the thing for scurvy, possessing antiscorbutic 

 properties. ^'' Plaigh na cajra," the plague of leprosy (Stuart). 

 " Duine aig am bheil can;'' a man who has the scurvy (Stuart 

 in Lev.) Welsh : mor luyau, sea-spoons ; llysier bhvg, scurvy- 

 grass (from bhvg, scurvy). Irish : biolair tràgha, — biolair, dainty, 

 and Iràgha, shore or seaside. 



Armoracia rusticana {armoracia, a name of Celtic origin, — from 

 ar, land ; iuor or mar, the sea ; ris, near to, — a plant growing 

 near the sea). English : horse-radish. Gaelic : meacan-each, the 

 horse-plant. Irish : racadal, perhaps from an old word rac, a 

 king, a prince, and adhal, desire — i.e., the king's desire. 



Raphanus raphanistrum — Radish. Gaelic : meacan ruadh, tlie 

 reddish plant, from the colour of the root. Irish : fiadh roidis, 

 wild radish. 



