54 



occasionally means a paisy, Chrysanthemum segetum, one of its 



names being liathan. 



" Liath chluaran nam magh." — Ossian. 

 The hoary thistle (or daisy) of the field. 



Here the reference is evidently to the corn-marigold; in alL 

 probability M 'Donald refers to the same flower, and not to any 

 thistle (see Chrysanthemum segetum). 



The badge of the Stuart clan. 



Cynara scolynms — Artichoke. Gaelic : farusgag, from farusg, 

 the inner rind, the part used being the lower part of the recep- 

 tacle of the flower, freed from the bristles and seed-down, and 

 the lower part of the leaves of the involucre. Bliosan, not un- 

 likely to be a contraction from bli-liosan, — bit (bligh), milk (with, 

 its florets milk was formerly coagulated) ; and lios, a garden. 

 These names apply also to Helianthus tuberosus, Jerusalem arti- 

 choke, especially to the tubers ; and plur na greine, to the flower,, 

 from the popular error that the flower turns with the sun. 



Centaurea nigra — Knapweed. Gaelic: cnapan dubh, the black 

 knob (from map, a knob). Manx: lus-y-cramman doo (the same 

 meaning); Welsh and Irish: map; Saxox: map, Danish : map). 

 Mullach dubh,the black top. Irish : niansgoth, the daughter's- 

 flower (nian, a daughter ; sgoth, a flower). 



C. cyanus — Blue-bottle. Gaelic : gorman, the blue one. In 

 some places, gille-guirmean, the blue lad. Curachd cubhaig, the 

 cuckoo's cap or hood. Irish: curac na cuig, the same meaning. 

 Welsh : penlas wen, blue-headed beauty. 



Artemisia vulgaris — Mugwort. Gaelic : liath /us, the grey 

 weed. Mbr manta (Shaw), the large demure looking plant 

 (mbr, large ; manta, demure, bashful). Mughard, Mugwort 

 (mugan, midge wort. Danish: mug, a midge (Skeat). Irish:. 

 bofulan ban, or buafannan ban, the white toad, or serpent {buaf, a 

 toad ; buaf a, a serpent ; Latin : bufa, a toad) ; buafannan liath, 

 the grey toad, or serpent. Mongach measga (O'Reilly). Welsh r 

 llwydlys, grey weed. Manx: Bollan feaill-Eoin, John's feast- 

 wort. 



Cows were protected from the influence of fairies and witches- 

 by having " bollan feaill-Eoin " placed on St. John's Eve in their 

 houses. It was made into chaplets, which were worn on the 

 heads of man and beast ; this was supposed to protect them from, 

 malign influences. — (Moore). 



