ROSACE.E. 127 



longer than the upper, and overtopping them. Petals with the 

 lamina orbicular. Follicles 5 to 9, glabrous, contorted. 



In AV(^t meadows and by the side of water. Common, and 

 generally distributed. 



England, Scotland, Ireland. Perennial. Summer. 



Rootstock shortly creeping. Stem erect, furrowed, purplish, 

 2 to 4 feet high, simple or slightly branched. Radical leaves often 

 very long, with the leaflets distant ; larger leaflets li to 3 inclies 

 long, the smaller ones y to -^ inch, the terminal one resembling 3 

 of the larger leaflets united together. Stem-leaves much shorter 

 than the radical ones, with the leaflets closer together and smaller. 

 Cyme 4- to 8 inches long, with the exterior branches long and 

 naked at the base, ascending so as to appear a continuation of the 

 stem, so that the inflorescence at first sight appears to be a panicle. 

 Flowers J to f inch across, cream-white. Calyx- segments ovate, 

 reflexed. Stamens longer than the petals. Carpels falcate, con- 

 torted, olive-green. Stem glabrous, branches of the panicle pubes- 

 cent. Leaves deep-green, sub-glabrous above, usually white with 

 a dense covering of felted hairs beneath ; hut the radical leaves 

 are sometimes destitute of this hoary covering, and are merely 

 pubescent especially on the veins. 



Meadow-sioeet, Queen-qf-the-Meadow. 



French, Spiree Reine des Pres. German, Achtes Madesiiss, 



We find in Dr. Prior's work on the " Popular Names of British Plants," that the 

 name " ileadow-sweet " is ungrammatical and ridiculous, a corruption of Mead wort — the 

 mead or honey-wine herb. Hill tells us, in his " Herbal," that " the flowers mixed with 

 mead give it the flavour of the Greek wines ;" and this is unquestionably the source of 

 the word. Nemnich also says that it gives beer and various wines and other drinks an 

 agi-eeable flavour. The Latin I'eyina prati, meadow's queen, seems to have misled our 

 herbalists to form a strangely compounded name now in use. Mead and the old German 

 viedo is an intoxicating drink, and a word that indicates the Asiatic origin of " the 

 beverage of the North.' This may be very proper criticism, but we are inclined to 

 tliiiik that there is no difficulty in accounting for the common name of this plant to 

 any one who has inhaled its sweet perfume in the meadows where it grows. Surely its 

 little flowers do render the " meadows sweet ;" and if we read old Gerarde's opinion, 

 we easily trace the very early origin of this suggestive name, and we can sympathize 

 with our ancestors, who prized such fragrant herbs as perfumed tlieir chambers, before 

 tlie more costly custom of carpets was introduced. He says : " The leaves and flowers 

 far excel all other strowiug herbs for to decke up houses, to strowe in chambers, hals, 

 and bauketting houses in the summer time, for the smell thereof maketh the hart 

 merrie, delighteth the senses ; neither doth it cause headache, or loatbsomnesse lo 

 meate, as some other sweete-smelling herbes do." 



" 'Mid sweets as varied as the scene, 

 Distinct is thine, fair Meadow's Queen, 

 With buds of pearly dye. 



