ENGLISH PLANT NAMES. 
45 
Bishop’s Wig. AraUs alpina, L. — dies. From the resenihlanee 
of the tufts in full flower to the old-fashioned powdered wigs worn by 
bishops. 
Bishopswort. (1) Staclujs Betonica, Benth. — Ger. Appx. See Cock- 
ayne, i. 3, ii. 372, hi. 314 ; but there may be some confusion between 
this plant and the Water Betony {Scrophularia aquatica, L.), which was 
called Bishop Leaves (which see). 
(2) In E. Turner’s Botanologia, Nigella damascena, L. — Prior, p. 22. 
Perhaps because the carpels look something like a mitre. 
Bisom. See Basom. 
Bistort. A common book-name for Foli/r/onum Bistorta, L. — A con- 
traction of the Latin name— Lat. his, twice, and torta, writhen, from 
its twisted roots. — Prior, p. 22. 
Bistort, Bock. Polygonum Bistorta, L. — Turn. Herb. 
Bither-sweet. See Bitter-sweet. 
Bitter Cress. A book-name for the species of Cardamine, more 
especially C. amara, L. — Prior, p. 22. 
Bitter Herb. Erytliroea Centaurium, L. — Holme, Academy of 
Armory, ii. 88. 
Bittersgall p. e. bitter-as-gall]. The fruit of Pyrus Mains, L. — ‘ It 
is often said of a soft silly person, “ He w^as born where th’ hitters- 
galls da grow, and one o’m vail’d on his head and made a zaate (soft) 
place there.” ’ — Pulman. 
Bittersweet. (1) Solamim Dulcamara, L. — Turner, Herbal (Bitter 
Swete) ; Nhamp. Sternberg ; Cumh. E. D. S. Gloss. C. 8 ; A. Line. E. D. 
S. Gloss. C. 6. A name apparently coined by Turner as a translation of 
the Latin Amara dulcis, and adopted by subsequent writers ; he 
explains it that ‘ when it is first tasted it is bitter, and afterwards 
sweet.’ Hal. Prior, p. 23. 
^ (2) A kind of apple. — Hal. This is its meaning in the old drama- 
tists. See Nares. Shakespeare has Bitter-sweeting, Rom. and Jul., 
ii. 4. Prior, p. 23. 
(3) ‘ A tall weed with a cream-coloured flower, found in marshy 
places (Bither-sweet).’ Yhs. (Holderness), E. D. S. Gloss. C. 7. No 
doubt the Meadow-sweet {Spiraea Ulmaria, Ij.) is meant. 
Bitter Vetch. A modern book-name for (1) Lathy rus macrorrhizus, 
Wimm. 
(2) Vicia Orohus, DC. — Prior, p. 23. 
Bitter-weed. 
‘ “ Oak, ash, and elm tree. 
The Laird can hang for a’ the three ; 
But fir, saugh, and bitter-weed. 
The Laird may flyte, but make naething be’et.” 
This popular rhyme affords data for ascertaining the comparative 
value of our indigenous woods. The Bitter-iueed is the poplar, the 
bark of which is very bitter.’ — Bot. E. Bord., p. 177. The name is 
