TRE SWEET WOODRUFF 
209 
The sweet woodruff (Asperula odorata) has slender 
leaveS; placed around the stem in a whofl ; the number 
of leaflets in each little coronal being generally eight. 
The foliage is something similar to that of the common 
cleavers, or goose-grass, but larger and much prettier ; and 
the blossom, too, is far more elegant. It may be found 
in the woods during the whole summer, but is in flow^er in 
May and June. It emits from its foliage, when growing, 
a delicate odour, perceptible to those only whose sense of 
smelling is acute. 
The Latin name of the plant, derived from “ aspex ” 
(rough), was given it on account of the roughness of its 
stem and leaves. Its English name is supposed to be a 
corruption of the word wood-rowel. As Turner says, 
“The leaves represent some kinds of rowels, or spurs. 
“The Asperula,’’ says Dr. Drummond, “is in English 
also called woodruff, woodrowe, and woodrowel. Perhaps 
you may recollect a rhyme which often forms an amuse- 
ment of children at school, and is taken from the ancient 
method of spelling the name of this plant. It runs thus ; 
Double U, double O, double D, E, 
R O, double U, double F, E ; 
the old English word being Woodderowffe.” 
Ladies who are fond of gathering the leaves and blos- 
soms of odoriferous plants, and preserving them for scent- 
jars and boxes, often neglect the sweet woodruff, which 
is peculiarly adapted to their purpose. While fresh, its 
odour is not powerful ; and even when, by its being walked 
upon, its sweetness is expressed, this is often attributed to 
some of the flow^ers that grow about it, which are taller 
and more showy, and thus better known. So are the 
humble often overlooked ! With the exception of the 
lavender, there is perhaps no flower which, when withered, 
yields so pleasant a fragrance, or retains it during so long 
a time, as the sweet woodruff, which is often as sweet a 
year after it was gathered as on the very day wTen the 
sunbeams dried it. 
During the process of drying, a small quantity of the 
plant will be sufficient to scent a room ; and if placed 
among clothes, it wall not only give them, like Esau’s gar- 
