56 



Petasites vulgaris — Butter-bur, pestilence-wort. Gaelic and 

 Irish: gallan rribr, the big branch, possibly referring to its large 

 leaf. Welsh: Alan-mawr, the big coltsfoot. Pobal, more cor- 

 rectly pubal. Welsh: pabel, a tent, a covering. 



" Shuidhich iad am pubuitt." — Ossian. 

 They pitched their tents. 



The Greek name 7reT<xo-os, a broad covering, in allusion to its 

 large leaves, which are larger than that of any other British 

 plant, and form an excellent shelter for small animals. 



Tussilago farfara — Colt's foot. Gaelic: cluas Hath, grey ear; 

 gorm Hath, greyish green; duilliur spuing, the tinder-leaf. Billeog 

 an spuing. 



" Cho tioram ri spuing." 

 As dry as tinder. 



The leaf, dipped in saltpetre and then dried, made excellent 

 tinder or touchwood. Gaelic and Irish: fathan or athan, mean- 

 ing fire. It was used for lighting fire. The leaves were smoked 

 before the introduction of tobacco, and still form the principal 

 ingredient in the British herb tobacco. Gallan-greannchair 

 {gallan see "Petasites;'' greann, hair standing on end, a beard), 

 probably referring to its pappus. Manx: Cabbag-ny-hawin, the 

 river dock. Irish : cassachdaighe (O'Reilly), a remedy for a cough 

 {casachd, a cough ; aighe or ice, a remedy). " The leaves smoked, 

 or a syrup or decoction of them and the flowers, stand recom- 

 mended in coughs and other disorders of the breast and lungs " 

 (Lightfoot). Welsh : cam y ebol (earn, hoof, and ebol foal or 

 colt), colt's-foot. 



Senecio vulgaris — Groundsel. Gaelic : am bualan, from bual, 

 a remedy. Lus Phara Hath, 1 grey Peter's weed, a name suggested 

 by its aged appearance, even in the spring-time. Latin : senecio. 

 Welsh : ben felan, sly woman. Sail bhuinn (sail, a heel ; buinn, 

 an ulcer). " The Highlanders use it externally in cataplasms as 



1 In Breadalbane, Glenlyon, and other places, the plant is called Lus 

 Phara Hath ; Lus Phara Lisle — 



PrOV. — Lus Phara Hath cuiridh e ghoimh as a' chraimh." 



The groundsel will extinguish acute pain in the bone — 



it being frequently applied as a cure for rheumatic pains. 



