68 



" 'N creamh na charaichean, 

 Am bac nan staidhrichean. " — MACINTYRE. 



Which Dr. Armstrong translates, "gentian in beds or plots." The- 

 name creamh also applies to the leek. Creamh, hart's tongue 

 fern, garlic, and elecampane. Currachd an Easbuig (Carmichael), 

 Bishop's hood or night-cap. Manx: lus-y-vinghagh jaundice 

 wort. It was considered a remedy for that complaint. 



Erythresea, from epv(f>po<s, erythros, red flowers. 



E. centaurium — Century ; red gentian. Irish : Ceadharlack 

 (O'Reilly), the centaur. It is said that with this plant Chiron 

 cured the wound caused by the arrows of Hercules in the- 

 Centaur's foot. Gaelic, according to Armstrong : ceud bhileach, 

 meaning hundred-leaved, a corruption of the Irish name (Ceud, 

 Irish: ceadh ; Latin: centum, a hundred), — the origin of file- 

 name being probably misunderstood. Manx : Keym - Chreest, 

 Christ's step. Welsh : Ysgol-Crist, Christ's ladder. In the four- 

 teenth century, this plant was called Christ's ladder (Christi 

 scala), from the name having been mistaken for Christ's cup 

 (Christi schale), in allusion to the bitter draft offered to our Lord 

 on the Cross. Deagha dearg (Threl). 



E. littoralis — Dwarf t-tuf ted century. Gaelic and Irish : dreim- 

 ire muir, the sea-side scrambler. Dreim, climb, clamber, scramble,- 

 muir ; Latin : mare , German : meer, the sea. 



Chlora perfoliata— Yellow-wort. Gaelic and Irish : dreimire 

 buidhe, the yellow scrambler. Not in the Highlands, but found 

 in Ireland, whence the name. 



Menyanthes trifoliata— Bog-bean, buck-bean, marsh trefoil. 

 Gaelic and Irish : pbnair chapull, the horse or mare's bean. (See 

 Fabd). Pacharan chapull, the horse or mare's packs or wallets,, 

 from pac, a pack, a wallet, a bundle. Tri-bhileach, the three- 

 leaved plant. Manx: lubber-lub. "Lubber-lub ayns y curragh," 

 the bog bean in the rushy marsh. 



" The Highlanders esteem an infusion or tea of the leaves as 

 good to strengthen a weak stomach '' (Stuart). The leaves were- 

 smoked as tobacco. 



CONVOLVULAE-E. 



Convolvulus arvensis— Field bindweed. Gaelic : iadh lus, the 

 plant that surrounds. (See Hedera helix.) 



