7° 



the Danes, which so intoxicated them that the Scots killed the- 

 greater part of the Danish army while they were asleep. Welsh : 

 y gysiadur, the putter to sleep. Lus na dih mor (Threl) Lindley 

 says — " It produces intoxication, accompanied by fits of laughter 

 and violent gestures; great thirst, convulsions, and death." Hence, 

 I suspect, the origin of the name in Irish Gaelic. The " dih " for' 

 dibhe, drink. The plant of the big thirst. 



Madragora officinalis — Mandrake. Mandrag. Another plant of 

 the tobacco and nightshade order, and possessing the narcotic 

 qualities of some of the plants of that order, especially as a cure 

 for insomnia. Levinus Leminus reports "that, sitting in his study, 

 upon a sudden he became drowsy and found the cause to be the 

 scent of one of the apples of the mandrake, which had lain on the 

 shelf therein, which being removed the drowsiness ceased." It 

 had an exaggerated reputation as an aphrodisiac, which the story 

 of Rachel confirms (Genesis xxx.) 



Hyoscyamus niger — Henbane. Gaelic and Irish : gagarr 

 gafann (gabhann), the dangerous one. Detheogha, deodha, deo,. 

 breath, that which is destructive to life. Caothach-nan-cearc, that 

 which maddens the hens. Its seeds are exceedingly obnoxious 

 to poultry, hence the English name henbane. The whole plant is- 

 a dangerous narcotic. Welsh : Llewyg yr jar, preventing or 

 curing f aintness Manx : Connagh ny giark, lus ny meisht. 



Nicotiano tobacum — Tobacco. Gaelic : tombac. " Tombac " 

 and many other Gaelic and English names are alterations of the 

 scientific names. Similarly " tea," (ti). Armstrong defines tea as- 

 u Lus oirthireach ainmeil air nach urrainn mise Gaidlig a chur ack 

 siigh-luib, an siigh lus, brigh an t-siigh luibh." A famous Oriental 

 plant, which I am not able to give any Gaelic but the juice plant 

 or decoction herb. 



SCROPHULARIACE^E. 



Verbascum thapsus— Mullein ; hag's taper ; cow's lungwort. 

 Gaelic and Irish : cuineal Mkuire, or cuingeal Mhuire from cuing,. 

 asthma, or shortness of breath. Bo-choinneal, cow's candle. In 

 pulmonary diseases of cattle it is found to be of great use, hence 

 the name, cow's lungwort, or cuinge, narrowness, straightness, 

 from its high, tapering stem. (Mhuire, Mary's). 



Veronica beccabunga— Brooklime. Gaelic : lochal, from loch, 



