GUEKXSEY DIALECT AND PLANT NAMES. 4o 



Lait d'SOUaPi. Fetty Spurge {Euphorbia pcplus). Lit. Mouse's milk. Also 

 called Fia)icouale and Troupdde. 



Laitron. Sowthistle [Souchns, various sp.) Nipplewort [Lapsana communis). 

 Universally applied to the different sj^ecies of Sonchus, locally known as 

 ^lilktliistles ; but I hardly think it is much used for the Nipplewort. 



LambPaise. Wood Sage {Tencrium scorodonia). The initial letter represents, 

 etymologically, the definite article ; so that the name should jjroperly be 

 Ambraisr. But the people speak of it as " la lambraise." 



Langue de boeuf. Hart's Tongue Fern {Scolopeiidntim vnlgare). Lit. Ox 



tongue. 

 Langue d'OUaie. Climbing Bistort [Pohjgontdn convolvulus). Lit. Goose 



tongue. Tills name is common in the north ; but at Torteval it is applied 



to the Spotted Persicaria {Fol(/gonu>n persicaria) . 



Maeure or Maiire. Blackberry, or fruit of the Bramble {linbxs) . 



Mais d'AvPil. Blackthorn {Frujtus npinosa). Lit. JMonth of April. More 



commonly called Xar Ephic. 

 Mais d'Mai. Ha^\i:horn {CraUegns oxijacantha). Lit. Month of May. More 



often Biaiuhc Epl-nc. 

 Marguerite. Ox-eye {C/irz/sanikc/nu/n leucanthemu)n). Also kno^vn as Murlu 



and Bian Murln. In Guernsev the name 2Ic(rgncrite is never apj^lied to the 



Daisy. 



Mauve, Grande. Txee^h\^o\\ [Lavatera arborea). 



Mauve, Petite. Common Mallow (J/«/r« sglvestris) . Still highly valued as 

 a ciu'e for gatherings. The leaves and stems are boiled, then mixed with 

 bread, and made into a poultice. The oily juice given out by the plant 

 after boihng is said to be very healing. 



Melier. Medlar [Mespihis grniuoiica) . The fruits are called nivlcs ; in modern 



French ncfles. 

 Meque. Ragwort [Senecio jacobcea) . 

 Milgre. MaiTam Grass [Psamma arenaria). 

 Molaine. Great Mullein ( Verhascuni thapsui<). Perhaps better written Molene. 



Molle Herbe. Meadow Soft Grass [Holcns lanatus). Lit. Soft grass. — It is 



said of a spendthrift : / mange son bia'i en herbe : he eats his w^heat in stalk. 



The word bidi is the French bU, corn. 

 Morelle. Bitter-sweet {Solanum dulcamara). Used at St. Saviour's. Also 



known as Amer-dou. 

 Mourdron. Chickweed [Htellaria media). In French Mouron. 

 Moutardier. Field Pennycress [Thlaspi arvensc). 

 Mouzette. Haricot or French Bean {Phaseolus vulgaris). 

 Mouzette Sauvage. Climbing Bistort {Polggonum convolvulus). So called 



from the resemblance of the leaves to those of the French Bean. Also 



called Langiie d'oaaie. 

 M'roque or Meroque. Stinking Mayweed {Anthemis coiula). This name is 



sometimes varied to Amroqne. 

 Murlu. Com Marigold [Chrysanthemuni scgctuui). A local proverb runs : 



Jaune coumme du murlu, meaning, as yeUow as gold. But in the west of the 



island the present name belongs to the Oxeye, for which the name 



Marguerite is not used. In the north the Oxeye is Bian Murlu, and the 



Com Marigold Jaune Murlu. 

 Musque sauvage. Musky Storksbill [Erodium moschatum). Lit. Wild 



Musk. Used at St. Andrew's. Other names for this plant are Epiles es 



Bergiers and Bee de Grue. 

 Nere Epene. 'Bld.QkiYiovw {Prunus spinosa) . Al^o c^Wed. 3Iais d' Avril. 



