PLANT NAMES 35 



those whose lot is a sacred one) , and dendron, a tree — 

 that is, a tree with uncertain medicinal qualities. 

 Geum is from geuo, to give a taste of, to stimulate, 

 the roots having a property like that of quinine. 

 Henbane may be called from its injurious effects on 

 poultry. It is, however, possible that its name is a 

 corruption of Hogbean, which is the English of its 

 botanical name, hyoscyamus. HippophcB, the Sea 

 Buckthorn, means " killing horses." Feverfew 

 {Pyrethrum parthenium) is an anglicized form of 

 fehrifugia, that which drives away fever. Lysi- 

 machia, or Loosestrife, was counted a sedative, 

 calming hot tempers; Malva, the Mallow, from 

 malakos, soft (Latin mollis), was valued as an emol- 

 lient; and Nepenthes, the Pitcher plant, from ne, not, 

 and penthos, grief, was supposed to assuage grief. 

 On the other hand, the seeds of Lathyrus, the Pea, 

 from thouros, impetuous, with the intensive prefix 

 la, were counted to be an irritant. Belladonna, 

 which means " beautiful lady," was employed in 

 Italy by the ladies to give softness to their eyes and 

 to remove freckles. Cardamine, from kardia, the 

 heart, and daniao, to overpower, was either a heart 

 medicine or a heart poison. Panax, from Greek 

 pa7t, everything, means " a universal remedy," so 

 does Pancratium ; Potentilla was potent to cure all 

 diseases; and Salvia, from which our word Sage, 

 from salvus, safe, contains the same idea. Prunella, 

 Self-heal, is from the German Breaune, a disease of 

 the jaws, which it was believed to heal. Plumbago 

 is said to have been a remedy for the disease of the 



