26 



"in proportion to the plant. Uisge, water. It grows in moist 

 places only. 



G. urbanum — Common avens. Gaelic: machall coille — coille, 

 wood, where it generally grows. Benedin — O'Reilly gives this 

 name to the tormentil; he also gives "Septfoil" (Comarum). 

 The geum is very like those plants both in flower and properties. 

 To a non-botanist they seem pretty much the same. The old 

 English name was Herb-Bennet. The rootstock of all these is 

 powerfully astringent, and yields a yellow dye. Welsh: Bendi- 

 geidlys, llys Bened. 



Dryas octopetala — White dryas. Gaelic : machall monaidk, the 

 large-flowered mountain plant. (The name was given by an old 

 man in Killin from a specimen from Ben Lawers in 1870). Luidh 

 Jjheann (Logan) — The hill or ben plant. Growing on high stony 

 hills to the height of nearly 3000 feet in the Highlands; little 

 shrub-like plants, with leaves somewhat like the oak leaf, and 

 about eight large white petals on the flower. 



The badge of Macneil and Lamont. 



Potentilla anserina — Silverweed, white tansy. Gaelic : brisgean 

 (written also briosglan, brislean), from briosg or brisg, brittle. 

 Brisgean mills, sweet bread. " The brisgean, or wild skirret, is a 

 succulent root not unfrequently used by the poorer people in 

 some parts of the Highlands for bread " (Armstrong). 



The skirret (see Slum slsarum) is not native. Curran earraich. 



" Mil fo thalamh, curran earraich.' 

 Under ground honey spring carrots. 



" Exceptional luxuries. The spring carrot is the root of the silver weed." — 

 ■Sheriff Nicolson. 



The plant here alluded to is Potentilla anserina. Ban- bhrisgean, 

 the flower. Welsh : tinllwydd. 



P. reptans — Cinquefoil. Gaelic : nieangach, branched or 

 twigged — meang, a branch, because of its runners, its long 

 leaf, and flower-stalks. Cuig bhileach, five-leaved. Irish: cilig 

 mlieur Mulre, Mary's five fingers. Welsh: llysieuyn pump, same 

 meaning. 



P. tormentilla — Common potentil, or tormentil. Gaelic : 

 leanarlach (Shaw). Leamhnach, tormenting. Barr braonan-nan- 



