122 OUR ROCK-GARDEN 



without guarantee, as we have not ourselves yet 

 tested it. Its heads of yellow flowers naturally 

 suggested to our forefathers that the plant was of 

 efficacy in the treatment of jaundice. 



The handsome globe-flower must not be over- 

 looked. It closely resembles a double buttercup, 

 the ten or more broad sepals all turning inward 

 and forming the globe that gives it its popular 

 name. Hence, too, it has been called the cabbage 

 daisy, though as daisies are white and this is yellow 

 the name is not quite a happy one. Other popular 

 names for it are the troll-flower, globe crowfoot, and, 

 in Scotland it is the locken gowan. Botanically it 

 is the Trollius europeus. Some would tell us that 

 Trollius, or troll-flower, are equivalent in meaning to 

 globe-flower, being from the old German word trol, 

 a sphere or ball, while others see in it a reference to 

 the acrid and poisonous nature of the plant, troll in 

 the northern languages of Europe being a malig- 

 nant supernatural being ; and this brings us in sight 

 of a clue to another of its Scottish names the 

 witches gowan. The globe-flower grows from one 

 to two feet high, and its foliage is of buttercup type, 

 the leaves being cut up into five principal segments, 

 and these in turn divided. It is a decidedly orna- 

 mental plant, flower and foliage being alike attrac- 

 tive. 1 It should be sought for in moist woods and 



1 Those who care to visit the florist will find many excellent 

 globe-flowers in cultivation, varying from pale straw-colour to 



