HERBS USED IN THE PRESENT TIME 15 



The monkshood with the bugloss, and entwine 

 The wrhite, the blue, the flesh-like columbine 

 With pinks, sweet Williams. 



Britannia s Pastorals^ Book 11 W. Brownk. 



A spiny stem of bugloss flowers, 

 Deep blue upon the outer towers. 



Winchester Castle — N. Hopper. 



Gerarde put Bugloss in one chapter, and Alkanet or 

 Wild Bugloss in another, but nowadays Bugloss or 

 Alkanet are names for the same plant, Anchusa o-fficinalis. 

 The drawings of his Bugloss resemble our Alkanet 

 much more closely than they do any other plant called 

 Bugloss, such 2.S Lycopsis arvensis, small Bugloss, or Echium 

 vulgare, Viper's Bugloss. The old herbalists, however, 

 were most confusing on the subject. They apply the 

 name Bugloss alternately to Borago officinalis and to 

 different varieties of Anchusa, and then speak of Buglossum 

 as if it were a different species ! Evelyn describes it as 

 being "in nature much like Borage but something more 

 astringent," and recommends the flowers of both as a 

 conserve, for they are " greatly restorative." As Hogg 

 says that Anchusa officinalis had formerly "a great reputa- 

 tion as a cordial," Evelyn's description applies to this 

 plant; we may take it that this is the Bugloss he was 

 thinking of. It is a good plant for a " wild garden," 

 but has a great tendency to spread. I have found it 

 growing wild in Cornwall. Gerarde tells us that the 

 roots of Anchusa Tinctoria were used to coloift- waters, 

 syrups, and jellies, and then follows a line of scandal — 

 " The gentlewomen of France doe paint their faces with 

 these roots, as it is said." Rouge is still made from 

 Alkanet. 



Burnet {Poterium Banguisorbd). 



The even mead, that erst brought sweetly forth 

 The freckled Cowslip, Burnet and green Clover. 



Henry F., V. ii. 48. 



