69 



C sepium — Great bindweed. Gaelic and Irish : duil mhial 

 •(Shaw), from dul, catch with a loop ; and tnial, a louse, — really 

 signifying the plant that creeps and holds by twining. 



Calystegia soldanella — Gaelic : Fliir-a- Phrionnsa, the Prince's 

 flower. There is still growing a plant of pink convolvulus in the 

 Island of Eriskay, Outer Hebrides, said to have been planted by 

 Prince Charlie when he landed from a small frigate from France 

 in July, 1745. It is, in consequence, known as " Fltir-a'- 

 Phrionnsa." 



Cuscuta epilinum — Flax dodder. Irish : damhainin l\n, the 

 flax kites. It is parasitical on flax, to the crops of which it is 

 very destructive. Cluhan dearg (Threl). Cunach or (Gaelic) 

 .eonach, that which covers, as a shirt, a disease. A general name 

 applicable to all the species. W elsh : lllndag, the flax choker. 



SoLANACEjE. 



Solanum dulcamara — Bitter-sweet ; woody nightshade. Gaelic 

 .and Irish : searbhag tnhilis. bitter sweet (Highland Society's Die. 

 tionary). Fuath gorm, the blue demon (fuath, hate, aversion, a 

 •demon). Miotag bhuidhe. Irish : miathog buidhe, the yellow 

 nipper, pincher, or biter Slat gorm {slat, a wand, a switch ; 

 j*orm, blue). Manx : Croan reishl. Dreimire gorm (O'Reilly) — 

 dreimire, to climb, to ascend as on a ladder; gorm, blue. A trail- 

 ing climbing plant, 4 to 6 feet high, common in hedges, with its 

 bloom like the potato flower, with vivid red poisonous berries. 

 The leaves have the same narcotic qualities as tobacco. Not 

 •uncommon in hedges and copses from Islay and Ross southward, 

 but rare in Ireland. A decoction of it is said to be good for 

 internal injuries. 



S. tuberosum — Potato. Gaelic : bun-tata, adaptation of the 

 Spanish batata. Sir John M'Gregor has ingeniously rendered the 

 word bun-taghta, a choice root ! 



Atropa belladona — Deadly nightshade ; dwale, banewort. 

 •Gaelic and Irish : lus na h-oidhche, the nightweed, on account of 

 its large black berries and its somniferous qualities. Buchanan 

 relates the destruction of the army of Sweno, the Dane, when he 

 -invaded Scotland, by the berries of this plant, which were mixed 

 with the drink with which, by their truce, they were to supply 



