CULINARY HERBS 121 



coasts, "rose" coming from Ros, dew, and "Mary" from 

 marinus, ocean. It is one of the many Labiatse found 

 wild in limy situations along the Mediterranean 

 coast. In ancient times many and varied virtues 

 were ascribed to the plant, hence its "officinalis" or 

 medical name, perhaps also the belief that "where 

 rosemary flourishes, the lady rules!" Pliny, Dios- 

 corides and Galin all write about it. It was culti- 

 vated by the Spaniards in the 13th century, and from 

 the 15th to the i8th century was popular as a condi- 

 ment with salt meats, but has since declined in pop- 

 ularity, until now it is used for seasoning almost 

 exclusively in Italian, French, Spanish and German 

 cookery. 



Description. — The plant is a half-hardy evergreen, 

 2 feet or more tall. The erect, branching, woody- 

 stems bear a profusion of little obtuse, linear leaves, 

 green above and hoary white beneath. On their 

 upper parts they bear pale blue, axillary flowers in 

 leafy clusters. The light-brown seeds, white where 

 they were attached to the plant, will germinate even 

 when four years old. All parts of the plant are 

 fragrant — "the humble rosemary whose sweets so 

 thanklessly are shed to scent the desert" (Thomas 

 Moore). One of the pleasing superstitions connected 

 with this plant is that it strengthens the memory. Thus 

 it has become the emblem of remembrance and fidelity. 

 Hence the origin of the old custom of wearing it at 

 weddings in many parts of Europe. 



"There's rosemary, that's for remembrance; pray, love, re- 

 member : And there is pansies, that's for thoughts. " 



— Hamlet, Act iv. Scent 5. 



