75 



C. clinopodium — Basil Tyme calamint. Lus an righ — The 

 king's mint, agreeing with Basil (basilicus, royal). 



Rosmarinus officinalis — Common rosemary. Gaelic : rbs 

 Mhuire. Irish : rbs-mar — mar-ros, sea dew, corruptions from the 

 Latin (ros, dew, and marinus), the sea-dew. Rbs Mhairt, Mary's, 

 rose, or rosemary. Welsh : rbs Mair. Among Celtic tribes rose- 

 mary was the symbol of fidelity with lovers. It was frequently 

 worn at weddings. In Wales it is still distributed among friends 

 at funerals, who throw the sprigs into the grave over the coffin. 



Lavendula spica — Common lavender. Gaelic : lus-na-tuise, 

 the incense plant, on account of its fragrant odour. An lus liath,. 

 the grey weed. Lothail, " uisge an lothail" lavender-water. 



Satureia hortensis — Garden savory. Gaelic : garbhag ghar- 

 aidh, the coarse or rough garden plant, from garbh, rough, &c. 



Salvia verbenacea — Clary. The Gaelic and Irish name, torman, 

 applies to the genus as well as to this plant; it simply means- 

 " the shrubby one " {tor, a bush or shrub). The genus consists- 

 of herbs or undershrubs, which have generally a rugose appear- 

 ance. A mucilage was produced from the seeds of this plant, 

 which, applied to the eye, had the reputation of clearing it of 

 dust ; hence the English name, " clear-eye," clary. 



S. officinalis — Garden-sage (of which there are many varieties). 

 Gaelic : athair liath, the grey father. Saisde (from sage). Slan lus r 

 the healing plant, corresponding with salvia (Latin : solvere, to- 

 save). It was formerly of great repute in medicine. Armstrong 

 remarks : " Bha barail ro mhor aig na seann Eadailtich do 'n lus 

 so, mar a chithear o'n rann a leanas — 



" Cur moriatur homo cui salvia crescit in horto?" 

 C arson a gheibheadh duine bas, 

 Aig am bheil saisde fas na gharadh ? 

 Why should the man die who has sage growing in his garden ? 



Teucrium scorodonia — Wood-sage. Gaelic : saisde coille r 

 wood-sage. Saisde fiadhain, wild sage. O'Reilly gives the name 

 ebeirsluaigh, perhaps from obar, shall be refused, and sluagh, 

 people, multitude, because it did not possess the virtues attributed 

 to the other species, and even cattle refused to eat it. But it was 

 used as a cure for dysentry. Manx : lus y toar-vrein, bad smell 

 herb ; creaghlagh. Welsh : saets gwyllt, wood-sage. 



