BUTCHER'S BROOM. 



RUSCUS. 



SMILACE^E. DICECIA SYNGENE8IA. 



Botanists are doubtful of the origin of the word Ruscus : Miller 

 supposes it to be from Rusticus a rustic plant, because, says he, 

 the countrymen, in old times, used to lay it on their meat to defend 

 it from mice. French, le Houx frelon, Buis piquant, Fragon 

 piquant. Italian, Rusco, Pontogopi. English, Knee-holm, Knee- 

 hulven, or Knee-holly, V^ild Myrtle, and Prickly Pettigree. 



THE Prickly ButcherVBroom, Ruscus aculeatus, is a 

 native of the south of Europe, of Asia, and Africa ; in 

 England, it is not uncommon in the woods and thickets, 

 but does not grow in the northern counties. The leaves 

 are very like those of the myrtle, but stiff, and ending 

 in sharp prickly points. These leaves are very singular 

 in their construction, and as the flowers are borne upon 

 their face, it is a disputed point amongst botanists whe- 

 ther they are truly leaves ; as some consider the plant to 

 be, like dodder and a few others, leafless, and the ap- 

 parent leaves to be winged footstalks of the flowers, or else 

 expanded branches. It is, in fact, one of those singular 

 cases on which as much may be said on one side as on the 

 other. The flower is of a yellow green, or sometimes 

 tinged with purple; it blossoms in March and April, 

 and the seeds ripen in winter. 



The green shoots tied up in bundles are sold to the 

 butchers for sweeping their blocks : hence their familiar 

 appellation. In Italy, they are made into besoms ; and 

 the hucksters there place the boughs round their bacon 



