Gaelic: feur ■a' '-phuint (Mackenzie), the grass with points or articu- 

 lations. Every joint of the root, however small, having the 

 principle of life in it, and throwing out shoots when left in the 

 ground, causing great annoyance to farmers. (From the root punc 

 or pung; Latin, punctum, a point.) Goin-fheur, dog's-grass; or 

 goin, a wound, hurt, twitch. According to Rev. Dr. Stewart, 

 Nether Lochaber, this name is also given to Cynosurus. Fiotkran, 

 the detestable. It is one of the worst weeds in arable lands on- 

 account of the propagating power of the roots. Bruim fheur, 

 flatulent grass. Probably only a term of contempt, on account of 

 its worthlessness. Manx : feiyr vodde, dog grass. 



T. junceum — Sea-wheat gras. Gaelic: glas fheur, the pale 

 green grass ; a seaside grass. It helps, with other species, to bind 

 the sand. 



Lolium perenne and temulentum — Darnell, rye grass. Gaelic : 

 breoillean. Irish : breallan (breall or breallach, knotty), from the 

 knotty appearances of the spikes, or from its medicinal virtues in 

 curing glandular diseases. "And being used with quick brimstone 

 and vinegar, it dissolveth knots and kernels, and breaketh those 

 that are hard to be dissolved." — Culpkpper. Dlthean, darnel;, 

 perhaps from dltk, want, poverty. It may be so named from its- 

 growing on poor sterile soil, which it is said to improve. " They 

 have lately sown ray-grass to improve cold, clayey soil" — Dr. 

 Platt, 1677. Roille. Irish: raidhhadh, from raidhe, a ray — 

 • hence the old English name, ray-grass. French: ivraie, darnel. 

 Welsh: efr — peroaps alterations of the French ivre, drunk. The 

 seeds of darnel, when mixed with meal, cause intoxication, and 

 are believed to produce vertigo in sheep — the disease that maketh 

 them reel; and for this reason the grass is often called sturdan, 

 from sturd — hence Scotch sturdy grass. Siobhach, from siobhas, 

 rage, fury, madness. " It is a malicious plant of sullen Saturn : 

 as it is not without some vices, so it hath also many virtues." — 

 Culpepper. Cuiseach (Macalpine), rye - grass. Ruintealas 

 (O'Reilly), the loosening, aperient, or purgative grass — from 

 ruinnec, grass, and tealach, loosening. 



Nardus stricta — Mat-grass, moor-grass. Gaelic : beitean (per- 

 haps from beithe), was refused. Cattle refuse to eat it. It 

 remains in consequence in dense tufts, till it is scorched by early 

 frosts. In this condition it is frequently burned, in order to- 



