Ruta 



and the like. As an eye-salve it already had the 

 renown of which we hear in a medieval line, 



' Auxilio rutae, vir lippe, videbis acute,' 



and in Milton's 



' . . . purg*:! with Euphrasie and Rue 

 The visual nerve.' 



The name of ' herb of grace ' is not ancient, and 

 was perhaps due to a false etymology. 



Flower, July and August. 

 Italian name, Ruta. 



Saliunca. 



'puniceis humilis quantum saliunca rosetis . . . cedit' 



(Ec. V. 17). 



The Celtic nard (Valeriana Celtica), though found 

 in the Piedmontese Alps, was not a native of Italy 

 in the more ancient sense. It was, however, culti- 

 vated for use in perfumery, as was at one time our 

 own wild valerian. The flowers are usually yellowish, 

 but it is said that they are sometimes red, and to 

 this colour Virgil refers. Its scent also was like 

 that of the rose. Keightley supposed Virgil to allude 

 to the use of roses in chaplets, for which the valerian 

 would be too brittle. I see no such allusion. The 

 poet seems to be talking of garden beds. 



Flower, July. 



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