190 botanical notes^ notices^ and queries. [august, 



Pyrus Aucuparia. 



A drink called in Wales diodgriafel is made from the beiTies of the 

 Momitain Ash (Roan-tree), abundant in most parts of Wales, by pouring- 

 water over them, and setting the infusion by to ferment. When kept for 

 some time this is by no means an unpleasant liquor ; but necessity some- 

 times obliges the children of penury to use it before the fermentative pro- 

 cess has commenced. In Scotland a spirituous liquor is obtained by dis- 

 tillation; and Gmelin informs us the same use is made of them by the 

 natives of Kamtschatka. 



In Wales this tree is held in high veneration by the superstitious. A 

 small part of it is carried about as a defence against enchantment. A 

 branch of the Roan (Rowan) is considered infallible in protecting cattle 

 from witchcraft. — Evans s ' North Wales,' 162. 



Superstitious Uses or Plants. 



(Fyrus Auciqniria.) 



The Witches' Bane. — If a branch of Pyrits Aucuparia is kept in the 

 house, brought in on Good Priday, no witch can do any mischief there ; 

 but it must be annually replaced by a fresh branch before the other is 

 taken out. And if a branch is put into the chum and cheese-vat, it wUl 

 surely keep the witch from her machinations against the butter and cheese. 

 A branch of Pyriis Aucuparia in the bed during the night will keep the 

 hag-riding elf away, — a troublesome bed-fellow. This hag-riding, which 

 causes so much trouble to the superstitious, is nothing more than (incubus) 

 nightmare. 



ToRMENTiLLA REPTANS. — PotentUla TormentUla, var. reptans. 



A coiTcspondent writes, in a letter to the Editor, " that there is an idea 

 that TormentUla reptans and PotentUla reptans are identical, and that 

 some botanist of note identifies them." He further says that he is " con- 

 tinually reminded of this idea by the very great resemblance in the aspect 

 and habit of the two plants, and especially in the similarity of then* flowers, 

 which obliges me always to count the petals, in order to know to which 

 species a given plant should be referred." 



Another correspondent sends us the following on the same plant. 

 "The tetramerous condition of PotentUla reptans is by no means a con- 

 stant character as far as I have seen. I remember some time ago gather- 

 ing some specimens of what I took to be PotentUla reptans ; but I was 

 told by one more deeply versed in British botany than myself that the 

 specimen in question was TormentUla reptans, with 10 sepals and 5 petals. 

 When I get the chance I will examine the plants more minutely. Is 

 there any difi^erence in the carpels of the two plants ?" 



Ranunculus bulbosus, or R. hirsutus. 



A correspondent asks the following question : — Has Rammculus bulbosus 

 always the bulb ? The marshes of Plumstead are full of a hairy Ranun- 

 culus, with reflexed sepals and fibrous roots, but without the tubercles on 

 the carpels, always ascribed to R. Mrsutus. 



We shall be obliged to any correspondent for an answer to the above. 



