GaelicNamesOfPlants

GAELIC

NAMES OF PLANTS

"

I

>tu(l_\-

to bring forth

any rare invention that recei\e matter of

some acceptable work

some moment known and

long hath been buried, and, as

shewed

in

the

memory

of

it

:

not striving to sliew

a man's capacity,

jias.seth

seemed,

man."—

liut

to

utter

and

talked of long ago, yet o\er

lain dead, for

CJiuir/nva/if, 1588.

any

fruit

it

hath

l^^é^ aá^a^ ^^^^^^^ GAELIC NAMES OE PLANTS (SCOTTISH

AND

IRISH)

COLLECTED AND ARRANGED IN SCIENTIFIC ORDER, WITH NOTES ON THEIR ETYMOLOGY, THEIR USES, PLANT SUPERSTITIONS, ETC.,

AMONG THE

CELTS,

WITH COPIOUS GAELIC, ENGLISH,

AND SCIENTIFIC INDICES

JOHN CAMERON SUNDERLAND

in a name? that which we call a rose By any other name would smell as sweet."

'What's

—Shakespeare.

WILLIAM BLACKWOOD AND SONS EDINBURGH AND LONDON MDCCCLXXXIII

All Rights reserved

'

J.

BUCHANAN WHITE, WHOSE

LIFE HAS

M.D., F.L.S.

BEEN DEVOTED TO

NATURAL SCIENXE, AT WHOSE SUGGESTION THIS COLLECTION OF GAELIC NAMES OF PLANTS

WAS UNDERTAKEN, Ojts m.oxk IS

RESPECTFULLY INSCRIBED BY

THE AUTHOR.

PREFACE. The

Gaelic

Names

articles in the

during the

many who

'

of Plants, reprinted from a series of

Scottish Naturalist,' which have appeared

published at the request of wish to have them in a more convenient form. last four years, are

There might, perhaps, be grounds for hesitation in obtruding on the public a work of this description, which can only be of use to comparatively few

;

but the fact that no

book exists containing a complete catalogue of Gaelic names of plants is at least some excuse for their publication Moreover, it seemed to many able in this separate form. botanists that, both for scientific and philological reasons, it would be very desirable that an attempt should be made to collect such names as are still used in the spoken Gaelic of Scotland and Ireland, before it became too late by the gradual disappearance of the language. Accordingly the author undertook this task at the request of the

Dr Buchanan White, accomplishment had been foreseen, he would have hesitated to make the attempt as it is, nearly ten years of his life have been occupied in searching through vocabularies, reading Irish and Scottish Gaelic, and generally trying to bring into order the confusion to which these names have been reduced partly by the carelessness of the compilers of Dictionaries, and frequently by their botanical ignorance. To accomplish this, numerous journeys had to be undertaken among Editor of the

F.L.S.

*

Scottish Naturalist,'

If the difficulties of its

;

rUEFACK.

Viii

the Gaelic-speaking populations, in order, settle disputed

names, to

was applied, and to

fix the plant to

if

possible, to

which the name

collect others previously vmrecorded.

In studying the Gaelic nomenclature of plants,

it

soon

became evident that no collection would be of any value unless the Irish-Gaelic names were incorporated. Indeed, wdien the lists supplied by Alexander M'Donald {MacMhaigJister-Alastair), published in his vocabulary in 1741, are examined, they are found to correspond with those in

much

older vocabularies published in

same remark

of plants in Gaelic supplied b)^ the Rev. Killin, given in Lightfoot's

the older

'

names

Mr

Stewart of Undoubtedly,

Flora Scotica.'

names have been preserved

Celtic literature of Ireland

;

it

The

Ireland.

applies, with a few exceptions, to the

in the

more copious

certainly true that "///

is

The

vetustá Hiberìiicà fiDidavicntiivi habct."

investiga-

O'Donovan, and others, have thrown much light on this as well as upon many other Celtic topics. The Irish names are therefore included, and spelt according to the various methods adopted by

tions of Professor O' Curry,

the different authorities; this

want of uniformity

gi\'es

the appearance of a

to the spelling not altogether agree-

able to Gaelic scholars, but which, under the

circum-

was unavoidable. It was absolutely essential that the existing Gaelic names should be assigned correctly. The difficulty of the ordinary botanical student was here reversed he has stances,

:

the plant but cannot existed, but

the

name

the

name

the

— here

the

name

found to which Again, names had been altered from to be

plant required

applied.

their original

tell

form by transcription and pronunciation it of difiiculty to determine the I'oot word. ;

became a matter

However, the recent progress of philology, the knowledge of the laws that govern the modifications of words in the

brotherhood of European languages, when applied to these names, rendered the explanation given not altogether improbable. their uses

;

(2),

their

Celts

named

appearance

;

plants often from (3),

their habitats

;

(i), (4),

;;

PREFACE.

IX

their superstitious associations, &c. this

naming was the key

habit of

The knowledge

of

many

that opened

a

difficulty.

For the sake of comparison is

a

given, selected from the oldest

number of Welsh names list of names obtainable.

— those appended to Gerard's 'Herbalist,' The author cannot

numerous correspondents for assistance

in

1597.

sufficiently express his obligation to in

the Highlands and in Ireland

gathering local names

;

without such

would have been impossible to make a complete collection. Notably the Rev. A. Stewart, Nether Lochaber, whose knowledge of natural histor}' is unsurpassed in his own sphere the Very Rev. Canon Bourke, Claremorris, who gave most valuable assistance in the Irish names, particularly in the etymology of many abstruse terms, his accurate scholarship, Celtic and classical, helping him over many a difficulty; Mr W. Brockie, an excellent botanist and philologist, who some years ago made a collection of Gaelic names of plants w^hich was help

it

;

unfortunately destro}'ed, placed at the author's disposal valuable notes and information relative to this subject

and

lastly,

Naturalist,'

the

accomplished Editor of the

who, from

its

and secured the correct

With every

'

Scottish

commencement, edited the scientific

sheets

order of the whole.

make

this work as free from errors some have escaped attention therefore, any names omitted, any mistake in the naming of the plants, or any other fact tending towards the fur-

desire to

as possible, yet, doubtless,

ther elucidation of this subject will be thankfully received for future addition, correction, or

amendment.

JOHN CAMERON.

—

:

THE GAELIC NAMES OF PLANTS.

Ranunculacete. Thalictrum Gaelic: .

,

^

—

{OaXXoj, thallo, to

rus:h. .,^ '

ruis;h,

rii,

)

'

grow

green). ^

i

/

-r,

,

,•

r,

-^"^ (or plants resembling

\

.

y?///iz

-J-

See Gerard.

graveolens).

— Rú Alpine meadow-rue. — beg Lesser meadow-rue. Rue most of the ancient languages said be Gaelic — rush

T. alpinum.

T. minus.

same to

in

flow

ailpeach

Jííí

:

is

:

;

ruiih,

;

flow,

their

;

nearly the

to

from puw,

roots,

especially

T. flaviim, possessing powerful cathartic qualities like rhubarb.

Compare Welsh is

ru, rtin, a

also

mystery, love, desire, grace.

secret,

runa, hieroglyphics (Runic).

:

supposed to be the meadow-rue. "

I'll

set a

bank of

Mo

rhii geal

"

" Oir a luibhean."

rue, sour

og

" !

The Thalictrum

herb of grace"

— My

fair

young

Shakespeare.

beloz'ed

one

!

deachaimh 'a mionnt, agus a rfi, agiis gach For ye tithe mint and rue, and all manner of herbs.

ta sibh a toirt

—

The Rue graveolens

of Shakespeare

is

of Pliny

(See Freund's Lexicon.)

uile

ghnè

Ruia

generally supposed to be

{Rii g/iaraid/i), a plant belonging to another order,

and not indigenous.

Anemone nemorosa— Wind-flower. wind-flower (Armstrong).

because some, of 7}ead c/iail/each, old

the

Welsh species

woman's

:

Gaelic

:

plùr na

gaoit/ie,

l/ysiau'r gwy?it, wind-flower,

prefer

windy

habitats.

Irish

nest.

— From

frequented by that

Gaelic, ran; Egyptian, ranah ; Latin, some of the species inhabit humid places animal, or because some of the plants have

leaves resembling

in

Ranunculus.

rana, a frog, because

shape a

frog's foot.

Ranunculus

is

also

—

— Gaelic

sometimes called crowfoot. Gair-cean,

divided leaves.

Welsh

gance.

R, aquatilis

from

lean,

raggy, from

cearban,

:

gair, a smile

its

cean, love, ele-

;

crafra?jge y /ran, crows' claws.

:

— Water

Gaelic flean7i

crowfoot.

and

follow,

to

—from

:

nisge,

probably

the water.

water, follower of

uisge,

na h'aibhne, the river-flax. Irish ftcul ìnsge,—neìil, a star, and uisge, water. Tuir chis, Mr, a lord chis, purse (from its numerous achenes).

Llofi

:

—

R. ficaria

— Lesser celandine.

produces loathing.

Welsh

the roots.

;

dissolve.

Gaelic

Searraichc, a

little

toddedig wen,

:

grain-aigein, that

:

fire

which

from the form of

bottle,

dissolvent

melt,

toddi,

;

—

—

Gaelic: glas-leuu, glas, green; flammula Spearwort. swamp. Lasair-kana, iasair, a flame, and leana or ku?i, Welsh blaer y guae7v, lance-point. a swamp, a spear. probably R. auricomus Goldilocks. Gaelic follasgain

R.

—

leun, a

:

—

from

Gaelic

:

conspicuous.

follais,

may be

:

;

Irish

— Creeping

Gaelic

crowfoot.

habit.

R. acris

— Upright

the grass rag.

Irish

mula are used

meadow the

:

also

the yellow

buigheag,

:

bairgi/i,

:

;

locks.

more frequently bairg/iiii, a Fearban ,^carba, killing, destroying.

one.

The

a tadpole.

foloscain,

a corruption from the Irish, or vice versa

gniag Mhuire, Mary's R. repens

Irish

in the

Gaelic

crowfoot.

same name.

:

pilgrim's

cearban feoir,

This plant and R. flam-

Highlands, applied in rags {cearban), for

raising blisters.

—

R. bulbosus Bulbous crowfoot. Gaelic blood of the earth (it exhausts the soil).

fuile

:

Welsh

thalinJiainn, :

crafaiige

y

/ran, crows' claws. R. sceleratus

— Celery-leaved

torachas biadJiaiu

crowfoot.

Gaelic and

Irish

:

probably means food of which one would be

;

ofraid.

Caltha palustris

— Marsh-marigold.

the clumsy one of the marsh. plant of Beltane or fire.

The name

May,

" Beath

fire

Irish

:

many

Gaelic names

:

a chorrach shod,

e.g.,

teine,

Tiillibcliane,

of Baal.

a's calltuinn latha-fc?/////»';?;;."—

Birch and hazel

first

M'Kay.

day of May.

plubairsin from pjuhracii,

wort, Marygold.

Gaelic

bJuiidhe bealtuinn, the yellow

Bel or Baal, the sun-god, and

survives in

the high place of the

Lus

plunging.

Lits Afairi,

Mary-

M

— Green

Helleborus viridis death

;

and

food

fiopa, bofa,

"

Mo My

— Stinking vulgaris — Columbine.

Aquilegia

leise,

thigh or

—

a

to cause

'Donald.

Meacan

hellebore.

the dove's plant.

elehor,

:

/lelein,

stopped with hellebore.

is

H. fcetidus plant.

eXciv,

— poisonous food).

shròn tha stocpt à dhVZí/w-." nose

Gaelic

hellebore.

corruption of helleborus (from the Greek

Irish

haunch

Liisan

cholain

glovien,

naked woman's

:

;

crnba-leisin,

Gaelic

a

las

:

the

sleiblie,

hill-

eholamain,

— from cruba, crouching, and

suggested by the form of the flower. pigeon's

(O'Reilly),

Welsh

flower.

trocd

:

y

foot.

— Monkshood. Gaelic fuath inhadhaidh Curaichd mhànaich (Armstrong), and a Welsh —from monkshood. choke. an Gaelic Nigella damascena — Chase-the-devil. Aconitum napellus

:

(Shaw), the wolf's aversion.

bleiddag,

:

bleidd,

wolf,

tag,

liis

f/iog-

:

raidh, the pursued plant. wort.

Irish

his vihic Raonail,

:

Not indigenous, but common

Paeonia officinalis— Peony. tion of Pcson, the physician

in gardens.

Gaelic

who

Ins

:

first

used

a phione. it

the king's flower.

Irish

;

A

corrup-

in medicine,

Welsh

cured Plato of a wound inflicted by Hercules. brcfiin,

MacRonald's

:

and

bladeitr

lus phoinc.

BERBERIDACE.i. Berberis vulgaris

—

Barberr>'.

Gaelic

:

barbrag (a corruption

from Phimician word barar), the brilliancy of a shell; alluding to their shining leaves. Greek (SepftepL, berberi, a shell. Preas Preas deilgneach, the nan gear dhearc, the sour berry-bush. prickly bush.

Irish

:

barbrog.

Nymph.ìace^,.

(From

wiK^t],

nymphe, a water-nymph, referring to their habitats.)

Nymphaea alba—White water-lil}\ drowned white leaf

Gaelic

:

duileag

bliàn, the

" Feur lochain is tachair, An cinn an ditikag bhàitc.^'—'SVlyi'VY's.'E.. Water, grass, and

Where "

O O

////,

lilv,

algae,

the water-lily grows. righ

nam fleuran."—M 'Donald.

king of flowers.

bhaite

—

—

Rabhagach, giving caution or warning

Welsh Nuphar luteum

white

lily.

— Yellow

Irish

Irish

(Shaw.)

Gaelic: duileag bhaite Lili bhuidhe n'uisge, yellow

leaf.

Hack laghor, the bright

:

Lili b/iàu,

buillite.

:

water-lily.

drowned

bhuidhe, the yellow water-lily,

a beacon.

;

Lili-r-dwff, water-lily.

:

Cabhan

flag.

ab/iai/i,

—

cabhan, a hollow plain, and abhain, of the river.

Papaverace.í;.

Papaver beilbheag,

a

— Poppy.

rhcEas

Gaelic

sometimes

jueilbhcag^

:

pestle (to which the capsule has

little

some resem-

blance). " Le meilbheag,

le

With a poppy,

noinean,

daisy,

—

and

's

M'Leod.

le slan-lus. "

rib-tjiass.

Croiidus, from ioth (Irish), corn ros, rose. Paipcan ruadh, fiiadh, red, and paipean a corrupThe tion of papaver^ from papa^ pap, or pappo, to eat of pap. juice was formerly put into children's food to make them sleep. Fot/iros, corn-rose,

Welsh P.

:

;

—

bent weed.

pabi.

somniferum

— Common

opium poppy.

Gaelic

codalian,

:

from codal or cada/, sleep.

Chelidonium majus. f/itiidon,

XeXtSojF,

red head.

Welsh

:

Irish

llysie

y

Aonsgoch

red.

a :

celandine

Gaelic

another Gaelic

Glaucium luteum

The name for

aon,

flower

is

yellow, not

swallow-wort, mean-

one or alone, and sgoth^ a flower. horned poppy. Gaelic barrag

— Yellow

:

The

the valiant or strong head.

(?),

:

wetmol, swallow-wort. is

corruption of

(a

an ceaim riiadh^ the lacha cheann ruadh, the red - headed duck.

ing the lonely flower,

ruadh

Common

swallow).

flower

is

yellow, not

red.

FUiMARIACE^.

(From /umus, smoke. " The smoke of these plants being by the ancient exorcists to have the power of expelling spirits " (Jones). French fume terre.)

said evil

:

Fumaria mhaiiin

officinalis

— Fumitory.

thalmhuiii

(O'Reilly),

earth

-

smoke.

Another Irish name caman, crooked, and scoradh, to

earth-smoke.

—

^

Ruadh does not mean

means

Gaelic

:

lus deathach thal-

(Armstrong), the earth -smoke plant.

is

Welsh

imog

y

deatach ddaer,

camaii scarraigh (O'Reilly),

scatter.

absolutely red, but reddish.

also power, virtue, strong, valiant.

Irish: :

Welsh

:

Rhydh.

It

—

Crucifer^.

(From Latin

crux,

a cross, and fero, to bear, the petals

criicis,

being arranged crosswise.)

Crambe maritima shore little

— Seakale.

—from

pot-herb,

common name

pot (a

Gaelic

praiseag tràg/ia,

:

Càl na viàra, seaGerman, /iv/;/; Saxon,

for pot-herbs).

kale (from Greek, ^^avAos; Latin, caulis ;

cawl ; English,

cole

Isatis tinctoria

or kale ; Irish, càl ; Welsh, cawl.)

— Woad.

The

hue was supposed

and Gaelic

:

enhance

to

Gaelic

time.

glas

ancient Celts used to stain

from

their bodies with a preparation

fashion of the

the

Gaelic praiseag, a

Irish praiseach,

the

:

the

to

guirmean, the blue one.

Irish

Welsh

For-

pale-blue weed.

his,

Its pale-blue

this plant.

their beauty, according

glas

:

lys.

merly called Glastum. "

mo

Is glas

Pale-blue

On

luibh."— OSSIAN. is

account of the brightness of

Celts called

my

the subject of

manufactured colours the

its

gived {giicde in French to this day), whence the

it

Saxon 7uad and the English woad. Thlaspi arvense Penny-cress. Gaelic

—

pot-herb.

praise.

Irish

:

praiseach fcidh, deer's

:

preaseach fiadh, a deer's pot-herb.

Capsella Bursa-pastoris

— Shepherd's

Gaelic

purse.

:

his

mi

blood-weed an sporran, the purse. Irish sraidin, a lane, a walk, Welsh purs y bugail, shepherd's purse (bugail, from Greek (SvkoXo';, a shepherd).

fola, the

;

:

:

— Scurvy

Cochlearia officinalis sailor;

the thing

carran, ^''

" Duine aig

am

Welsh

Lev.)

bheil can;'' a :

mor

man who

Irish

:

near the

iuor or mar, the sea sea).

English

:

;

;

llysier bhvg, scurvy-

biolair tràgha,

ris,

horse-radish.

(Stuart).

has the scurvy (Stuart

—

biolair, dainty,

and Iràgha, shore or seaside. Armoracia rusticana {armoracia, a name of Celtic ;

inaraich,

antiscorbutic

possessing

luyau, sea-spoons

grass (from bhvg, scurvy).

ar, land

a

Gaelic:

-grass.

scurvy,

Plaigh na cajra," the plague of leprosy

properties.

in

for

near

to,

—a

Gaelic

:

origin,

— from

plant growing

meacan-each, the

word rac, a and adhal, desire i.e., the king's desire. Raphanus raphanistrum Radish. Gaelic meacan ruadh, tlie

horse-plant.

king, a prince,

Irish

:

racadal, perhaps from an old

—

reddish plant, from the colour of the root. wild radish.

:

Irish

:

fiadh

roidis,

— —

;

Cardamine pratensis— Cuckoo flower, ladies' smock. Gaelic plur na cubhaig, the cuckoo-flower. Gleoran, from gkote, handsome, pretty. The name is given to other cresses as well. Biolair-gliriagaiu, the bright sunny dainty. Cakile maritimum Sea gilly-flower rocket. Gaelic fearsaideag; meaning uncertain, but probably from Irish saide, a seat (Latin, sedes), the sitting individual from its procumbent habit. Nasturtium officinalis Water-cress. Gaelic, biolair, a dainty, or that which causes the nose to smart, hence agreeing with nasturiium (Latin riasus, the nose, and tortus, tormented). Durlus, dur, water, and lus, plant. Dobhar-Iiis, dohhar, water. Welsh benvyr dtufr, Avater-cress. The Gaelic and Irish bards used these names indefinitely for all cresses. :

—

:

—

—

:

—

—

:

' '

Sa

bhiolair luidneach, shliòm-chluasach.

Glas, chruinn-cheannach, chaoin ghorm-neaIach|; Is

fas glan,

i

uchd-ard, gilmeineach,

M'Intyre.

Fuidh barr geal iomlan, sonraichte." Its

drooping, smooth, green, i-ound-leaved water-cress growing so radiantly,

breast-high, trimly; under ^'

its

remarkably perfect white flower.

M'Intyre.

Dobhrach bhallach mhin." Smooth-spotted water-cress.

— Flixweed. Gaelic ftieal Mhi/ire, the Welsh pipe-weed. Erysimum — Garlic mustard, sauce alone. Gaelic garhiiraithcach, rough, threatening. Cheiranthus cheiri — Wallflower, Gaelic Sisymbrium sophia

:

Virgin Mary's fennel.

:

piblys,

alliaria

:

gilly-flower.

an

saui/iraid/i, half the

summer

gorphenaf, July flower or

blodeii

gilly-flower

is

from the French

Brassica rapa

maipen

Welsh,

— Common

;

Scotch,

Irish

plant.

:

lus leth

Welsh

the same.

:

Wedgwood

gilly-flower.

:

says

girojlèe.

Gaelic, neup ;

turnip.

(and

neep

Irish, neip

French,

/lavcw,

navet)

;

corruptions from Latin napus. B.

campestris

—Wild

navew.

Gaelic

:

neup fiadJiain,

wild

turnip.

B. oleracea^Seakale or cabbage. bhaidhe,

Morran,

the

Gaelic and Irish

pot-herb of the wave

— mor (Welsh), the — the kale with stout

sea, its

colbhairt

of a plant, and art,

flesh),

{baid/ie,

in

:

Irish,

praiseach

a wave.

habitat the seaside.

Cal

fleshy stalks (from colbh, a stalk

cal or cadhal.

Welsh

:

cawl, kale.

Gaelic: cál-cearslach {cearslach, globular), cabbage; cal gruidhean (with grain like flowers), cauliflower cauliflower; garad/i

càil,

;

colag (a

a kitchen-garden.

little

cabbage),

—

— —

" Dh' itheadh biolair an fhuarain " 'S air bu shuarach an càl. M'Doxald. would

I

eat the cress of the wells.

Compared Sinapis arvensis b/ijiidhe,

to

it,

kale

— Charlock,

contemptible.

is

wild mustard.

the yellow sausage (to which the

—

Gaelic

pod

is

bear some resemblance).

Sceallan,

(Shaw),

Mustard, from the English.

sgealpach, biting. "

Mar

a shield.

sceall,

ghrainne de shlol miistaird."

:

marag

supposed

to

Sgealag

— Stuart.

Like a grain of mustard-seed.

Gaelic

:

praiseach garbh, the rough pot-herb.

Resedace.í:.

Keseda luteola

—Weld, yellow weed.

the large yellow weed. ^Velsh

:

Irish

dye-wort.

llysie lliu,

:

Gaelic

/us huidhe mor,

:

buidhe mor. the large yellow.

Reseda, from Latin resedo.

Gaelic

:

reidh, to calm, to appease.

CiSTACE/E.

(From Greek capsules.

Kto-rr;, kiste,

Latin, cista

;

Gaelic, ciste ; Danish, kiste.)

—

Helianthemum rose

a box or capsule, from their peculiar

vtilgare Rock-rose. Gaelic grian plùr ua griiue, flower of the sun (also heliotrope).

;

:

7'òs,

sun-

Welsh

:

biodaior haul, sun-flower. Violace.í:.

(From Greek

lov, ion,

a violet,

— the food

given to the cow To,

one of Jupiter's mistresses.)

—

Gaelic fail chuac/i, scented Viola odorata Sweet violet. bowl fail, scent, and cuach, a bowl hollow as a nest. Scotcli :

:

;

qitaich, cogie (dim.),

a drinking-cup.

" Fail chiiachaig zx uachdar a

flieoir."

M'Farlaxe.

Scented violet on the top of the grass.

—

a

V. canina Dog-violet. Gaelic Danish dal, a valley.

field).

:

dail chuach, field-bowl {fail,

:

" Gun sobhrach gun dail

Gun

chuacli,

lus uasal air càrnn."

— M'lxTVRE.

Without primrose or violet, Or a gay flower on the heap.

—

Sail

c/iitac/i,

—

sail, a

" Coille

A Irish

:

is

heel (from guirme

wood where

sail

spur).

its

chuac/i.^—Ola Song.

violets are bluest.

biodh a leithid, the world's paragon

;

also fanaisge, pro-

bably from fan, weak, faint, agreeing in meaning with the Welsh name, criiillyns, a fragile weed. Droserace.í:.

(From Greek as

if

Spoo-epo?, droseros,

Drosera rotundifolia an

dewy, because the plants appear

covered with dew.)

— Round-leaved

Psolais, sun-rose or flower

;

dew; lus na fearnaich, the some resemblance to shields).

red

sundew.

Gaelic

:

ros

geald-rnidhc or dealt riiaidhe, very plant with shields

leaves have

(its

to rob, and one that robs the dew; druichdin mona, the dew of the hill. Welsh doddedig rudd, dod, twisted thread, and fudd, red, the plant being covered with red hairs. Irish

:

cil

drnich, dew), the

druich

{eil,

—

:

POLYGALACE^.

(From Greek

-nokv, poly,

Polygala vulgaris wort.

Irish

:

much, and yaXa, gala, milk.)

— Milkwort.

Gaelic

:

lus a b/idine,

milk-

lusan baine, the same meaning, alluding to the

reputed effects of the plants on cows that feed upon

it.

Carvophvllace^. Saponaria cregach.

officinalis

Irish

:

and

creugach, rocky.

and was formerly used

shiabunn, the soapwort. {sebon, soap),

Gaelic gairgean:

gairbhin creugach, the bitter one of the rocks

garb/lion, bitterness, ter,

— Soapwort, bruisewort.

The whole

plant

;

is bit-

Lus an same meaning

to cure cutaneous diseases.

Welsh

:

scbonllys,

the

Latin sapo, so called probably because the bruised

leaves produce lather like soap. " Prodest

et sapo.

Soap was a Celtic invention.

Gallorum hoc inventum,

Rutilandis capillis, ex sevo et cinere. "

Pliny.

Lychnis flos-cuculi— Ragged robin. Gaelic ////;- jia cubhaig, curachd na cubhaig, the cuckoo's hood. L. diurna Red campion. Gaelic clrean coileach, cockscomb in some places corcan coille, red woodland flower. L. githago Corn-cockle. Gaelic brogna cubhaig, the cuckoo's :

the cuckoo flower

;

—

—

:

;

:

— —

—

—

Liiibh laoibheach,

shoe.

—

laoi^

the plant observed for a day.

red

;

hence

French

cockle.

:

—

M

day, and beac/id, to observe Irish

from

cogall^

:

Welsh

coqiiille.

Spergula arvensis

and

flax

//;/,

Scotch

yarr.

:

— Spurrey.

fraudulous

i.e.,

Irish

"Gun

cabrois,

:

—

:

cluain

li/i,

—

its

cluain, fraud,

Carran, twisted or knotted.

cab, a

head

deanntag, gun charran."

Without

Arenaria alsine

Gaelic

flax.

cockle or

gíth^

:

seed, a corruption from githago, or vice versa.

i e.,

coch (Welsh),

—

polished.

rois,

;

'Donald.

nettle or spurrey.

— Sandwort.

Gaelic

:

flige,

perhaps from fliche,

water, growing in watery or sandy places.

media

—

Gaelic fliodJi, an excrescence Chickweed. Irish lia, wetting sometimes written fiitth. compare also flocJi, soft (Latin fiaccus). fluich, wet)

Stellaria

:

(Armstrong), (Gaelic

Welsh S.

:

:

;

:

:

giclydd, the soft or tender plant.

Holostea

— The

Gaelic

greater stitchwort.

/iiirseach, sad,

:

same meaning and Stellaria graminea, kirsat-ranin, the lesser stitchwort. Welsh y wennwlydd, the fair soft-stemmed plant, from givenn and giolydd, soft dejected.

Irish

:

tursarrain, the

;

:

tender stem.

— Mossy cyphel, found Cerastium alpinum — Mouse-ear chickweed.

Cherleria sedoides

Lawers.

No

plentifully

on Ben

Gaelic name, but seorsa coinich, a kind of moss.

Gaelic

:

cluas

an

Inch, mouse-ear.

LiNACE/E.

Linum usitatissimum Welsh

:

— Flax.

Gaelic Don, gen. singular ////. " Greek \ivov and Latin //////;//, a thread, are derived

llin.

from the Celtic."

Loudon.

" larraidh She

:

i

olan agus lion."

will desire

wool and

Stuart

(Job).

flax.

—

Gaelic lion na bean slth, fairy L. catharticum Fairy flax. woman's flax ; iniosach, monthly, from a medicinal virtue it was supposed to possess viionach, bowels Ins caolach, slender weed compare also caolan, intestine (Latin colon, the large Both names probably allude to its catfiartic effects. intestine). Stuart, in Lightfoot's Flora,' gives these names in a combined ceoIrish form, an caol miosachan, the slender monthly one. :

;

;

:

:

'

:

lag/i. ^

This plant

or cowl).

is

Latin

:

sometimes called Citrach cucullus.

B

ita

— (hood

Cubhaig, and Cochal

——

—

:

Malvace^. Latin fjiaXáxr],

Gaelic

mallows.

inah'CE,

:

:

from

maloimh,

Greek

malache, soft, in allusion to the soft mucilaginous pro-

perties of the plants.

"A'gearradh sios maloimh laimh mar bhiadh."— Stuart (Job xxx. 4).

"Who Welsh

:

cut

up

viallcnvs

na preasailih, agus freunilinn

lis

by the bushes, and juniper roots

meddalai, what softens.

Gaelic

plant; gropais ox grobais (M'Donald) from

The

grub, to dig.

Malva frangac/i,

roots were dug,

for their

QiO\\\\c, groh,

and boiled

meat."

mheacan, honey-

-mil

:

aiteil

English,

to obtain mucilage.

ncax rotundifolia — Dwarf mallow. Gaelic and Irish — ucas {vom Irish need, whence a breast (Greek, :

iic/id,

i/c,

—

t^''^ mucilage being used as an emollient for breasts ox^v) i.e., the French mallow. O-náfrangach, French

M.

— Common mallow.

sylvestris

Gaelic

ucas fJwadhair, wild

:

mallow.

— Marsh-mallow. Gaelic and a remedy fochas, and Welsh morhocys, — mor, the

Althaea officinalis

perhaps from {ochas, itch).

producer,

it

Irish

leaiiihach, insipid

itch,

;

hocys,

sea,

:

leamhad,

:

for the itch

phlegm-

being used for various pulmonary complaints. TlIJACE^,.

Tilia europea

craim

telle,

—

— Lime-tree, linden. a corruption from

teile,

Gaelic

:

craobh

Welsh

tilia.

:

theile.

pis

Irish

^i;7ciydden.

Hypericacete.

Hypericum

perforatum

Gaelic and Irish

bably from ca/

:

— The

perforated

St

John's

eaia bJitddhe (sometimes written eala

(for neul), aspect,

wort.

b/ii),

pro-

appearance, and bkuidhe or bhi,

yellow.

"

An

eala bhitidhc s'an

noinean

S'an t'sobhrach an gleann

Anns am faigheadh an Furtach In the glen

where the St John's

grow, the grey doctor will find

a

-wort,

lìàn

nan

luibli

leighe Hath

do chreuch

fiach,

fas,

a's leòn."

— Coi.lath.

the white daisy, and the primrose

valuable remedy for every disease and

-vound.

"The

belief

was

common among

the Caledonians that for

all

the

diseases to which

mankind

where, and not

from the locality where the particular disease

prevails,

the

M'Kenzie.

far

is

liable there

proper application

grows an herb some-

of which

would cure

it."

—

" Sobhiacli

a's eala

bhi

Primrose, St John's

's

baira neoinean. "

zoort,

—

—

and

M'Intyrp:.

daisies.

Alias Mhnire {Mhitire, the Virgin Mary; alias, perhaps another form of the preceding names) Mary's image, which would agree with the word hypericum. According to Linnaeus it is derived from Greek virip, iiper, over, and dKUv, eikon, an image that is

—

—

to say, the superior part of the flower represents an image.

Caod aslachan Cholum Columba's

St

carried

arms),

in his

it

it

chille,

from Cohim and

flower, the saint of lona,

arms

(íTí/í?^,— (Irish)

cill

(church,

who reverenced

cell),

it

and

caodam, to come, and aslachan,

being dedicated to his favourite evangelist St John.^ " For-

was carried about by the people of Scotland as a charm against witchcraft and enchantment " (Don). \\'elsh y fcndigaid, the blessed plant. French la toutc-saine. English tutsan. The badge of Clan M'Kinnon. merly

it

:

:

:

Acerace.í;.

meaning sharp, from

(" Acer, in Latin

Du

ac,

a point, in Celtic."

Theis.)

Acer campestris mhalip or malpais

from

nial,

think the

— Common maple. ;

origin of

name

Gaelic and Irish

a satchel or a husk, from the form of

name

is

craohh

:

uncertain, but very likely its

only a corruption of maple

Some

samara.

—Anglo-Saxon,

Welsh masarnen. Gothic masloenn (from mas, fat), abundance of saccharine juice. A. pseudo-platanus Sycamore. Gaelic and Irish craohh sice, a corruption from Greek sycaiiiinos. The old botanists erroneously believed it to be identical with tlie sycamine or mulberry-fig mapal.

from

:

:

its

—

:

of Palestine.

"Nam

biodh agaidh creidimh, theiradh sibh ris as do fhreumhaibh." Stuart.

a.

chraobh shicamin so,

do spionadh

bi air

If ye

had

the root.

faith ye

— St Luke

might say to

this sycaviore tree,

Be thou plucked up by

xvii. 6.

Craobh pleantrinn, corruption of platanus or plane-tree. tree. Fir chrann, same meaning. The badge of Clan Oliphant.

Irish

:

crann ban, white

V1NIFER.E. Vitis (from the Celtic gioyd, a tree, a shrub.

French ^

:

Spanish

Similar ideas occur in other Irish names respecting this plant

niiadh

Colnmcille, beachnuadh beinionn, beackniiadh firionn,

brace

nuadh, new

;

:

vid.

vigne).

;

heinionu^ a

little

woman

;

:

Beach-

— beach, to em-

firionn,^ a little

man.

—

—

Vitis vinifera

— Vine.

Greek

fion, wine.

Gaelic

:

Latin

foiv-ov.

:

craim foua, fionaii. Irish vin-um. Fiou dcarc, a grape. :

:

Geraniace.í:.

(From Greek

minates the carpel resembles the Gaelic

bill.

crob priachain

:

rapacious bird.)

(from

rigJic,

of a crane

bill

(Armstrong),

— Herb and

reproof,

Riaghal ciiil, also rial Earbidl righ [earbu/i, a tail). reprover.

Righeal

Irish

righ.

a king),

{righ,

—Bloody

the red

wound

Evergreen plant. Gaelic and Irish

cuil, fly,

gnat, insect), the fly

that

chiiil,

which rules insects

;

strong disagreeable

its

smell.

Llysie Robert, herb Robert. cranesbill.

Gaelic

-healer {creaeh, a wound).

:

creachlach dearg,

Geranitnn Roberti-

by the Highlanders, on account of

and vulnerary

:

Don.

it."

amwi and Geranium sanguineum have been and great repute

of any

righcan righ, that which reproves a king

:

redfoot.

:

crane-

:

Lus an Eallan, the cancer weed.

on account of

Welsh trocdrydd, G. sanguineum

claw

Robert.

"Insects are said to avoid

red-haired.

the

Riddel,

English

;

the

(M'Kenzie.)

Lus-gná-ghorm.

Geranium Robertianum riglical cull

Tlie long beak that ter-

ycpavo?, geranos, a crane.

are held in

their astringent

properties.

OXALIDACE^.

(From Greek

oet'?,

from the acid taste of the leaves.)

oxys, acid,

Oxalis acetosella— Wood-sorrel.

grows

Gaelic samh, shelter. It Also the name given to its capsules. simply be the summer flower. :

in sheltered spots.

Also summer.

It

may

" Aig itheach sai/nh," eating

Seamrag. little

Irish

:

gentle one. ' '

sorrel.

seamrog (shamrock) {seam, mild and gentle), Referring to its appearance.

'L&seamragan

's

le

neonainean,

'S'gach lus a dh'fheudain ainmeachadh

Cuir anbharra dhreach boidhchead air."

With wood-sorrel and with

And

plants that

Giving

tlic jilace

Surag, the sour one

Teutonic

suer,

;

sour).

I

M'Intvre.

daisies,

could name,

a most beautiful appearance.

Scotch

Welsh

sourock (from the Armoric sur,

:

:

suran

y

gog,

cuckoo's

sorrel.

M

Gaelic

:

hiadh nan

eoinca?i, birds' food.

;

Irish

:

billcog

nan

cun,

the leaf of the birds. "Timcheall thulmanan diàmhair Ma 'm bi'm biadh-ionain fas."

—

'Donald.

Around sheltered hillocks Where the wood-sorrel grows.

Feada fcad/i,

coillc,

candle of the woods,

name

given to the flower

a candle or rush. " Mar

Do

sin is leasachan soilleir,

à\\^

/heada-coille na'n cos."

Like the flaming

Of

—

'Donald.

light

the wood-sorrel of the caverns.

Celastrace^.

Euonymus europseus— Common Irish

:

spindle-tree.

oir,feoras,—oir, the east point, east.

"

A

tir

Gaelic and

an

oir,"

the land of the East {Oirip, Europe), being rare in Scotland Ireland, but

mean

common on

a border, edge, limit,

the Continent. it

very

difficult to

in hedges.

to these significations

determine with certainty.

and

Oir and feoir also

being commonly planted

Whether the name has any reference

from

Oir, the

name

it

is

of the

It is thirteenth letter, O, of the Gaelic and Irish alphabet. worthy of notice that all the letters were called after trees or

plants

:—

——

Juglans regia

— The Walnut.

a foreigner, a stranger

Gaelic

:

craobh-ghaUchno

—gall,

Bar gi/c,

papil-

a nut.

cno,

;

LeguminifeRíí;. Gaelic

:

pod-bearing plants.

feid/ileagach,

li/is

For-cochullach, leguminous.

ionaceous flowers (Armstrong).

Bar gnc

^^

air

M'Intvre.

mheuraibh nosara."

Blossoms on sappy branches.

Sarothamnus scoparius (probably from

uid/i

that Belus favoured,

it

— Broom. Baal,

bcal,

Gaelic

and

bcalaidh or heal-

:

favour), the

i/id/i,

being yellow-flowered (see Caltha

plant

paliistris).

Yellow was the favourite colour of the Druids (who were worshippers of Belus), and also of the bards. Ossian describes the sun " grian b/iidd/ie" the yellow sun ; M'Intyre, his Isabel, as " Iseabel og

An

or fhuilt bhuidh."

Young Irish

bniin

:

Isabel with the golden-yellow hair.

and Welsh

;

from the broom.

Latin

:

ysgub.

Gaelic

reed, a cane, a leafless twig

;

sleibhe,

:

of the

a brush

sgiiab,

Giolcach

scoparius.

:

made

slcibhe {glide, a

hill).

The badge of the Clan Forbes. Cytisus laburnum Laburnum. Gaelic: bealuidh fraiigach (in Breadalbane), in some parts sasimach, French or English broom (Ferguson). Fraiigach is very often affixed to names of

—

This tree was introduced from SwitzerCraobh obnin, a corruption of laburnum. Name from the Celtic ec or ac, a prickle (Jones).

plants of foreign origin.

land

in

Ulex

1596.

—

—

U. europaeus Furze, whin, gorse. Gaelic and Irish conasg, from Irish co?ias, war, because of its armed or prickly appearance.

Welsh

:

:

prickles.

eií/iiji,

" Lan cojiasgis phreasaibh."

Old Song.

Full of furze and bushes.

Not common

in

the Highlands, but plentiful about Fortingall,

Perthshire.

Ononis arvensis bogha, bowstring.

ground

prickles.

— Rest

^^ elsh

:

Scotch

:

-

harrow.

Trigonella ornithopodioides

Welsh

:

Irish ;

:

eithin

srcang

yr

eir,

from Gaelic cam, crooked. Fenugreek, Greek hay. Gaelic

camiiiock,

ioiintag-grcugach (Armstrong),

shoe.

Gaelic and

tagadr, stop the plough

—

Greek

nettle

;

crubh-eoln,

:

Birds'

y grog-wryan.

Trifolium repens

—White or Dutch

clover.

Gaelic and Irish:

M—

seamar

one (see

b/iàn, the fair gentle

Trifolium

and for samhrag bhuidhc^ yellow

invariable for white clover,

is

procumbens, hop

trefoil,

clover.

" Gach

saitneir

Every

"An

written also sameir,

;

Wood-sorrel and clover are often con-

sio?nrag, seamrag, seamrog.

founded, but seamar bhàn

Oxa/i's)

:

neonean

t-seamrag mxiQ

's

and

clover, daisy, 's

masag."

—

'Donald.

berry.

barr-gheal gruag,

M'Lachuinn.

A's buidheann chuachach neoinein."

The green white-headed clover. The yellow-cupped daisy.

The badge

of Clan Sinclair.

T. pratense

— Red clover.

clover.

CapiiU, from

caballiis,

a horse. Gaelic

called because

minus

T.

:

seamar

KaySaAX-/;?,

Tri-bilean,

bloom of

contains honey, and children suck

it

— Small

Latin

Welsh:

three -leaved.

trefoil,

sùgag, Scotch sookie, the

:

chapuíll^ the mare's

a work-horse.

Meillonem, honey wort, from mel,

same meaning.

tairdaien, the

honey.

Gaelic

Greek

Gaelic

yellow clover.

clover, so

it,

seangau,

:

small,

slender.

— Hare's-foot clover. corniculata — Bird's-foot

Gaelic

T. arvense

:

cas maidhiche

(Arm-

barra

miiis-

strong), hare's foot.

Lotus lean,

— barra, top

or flower

Gaelic

trefoil.

mislean,

;

:

anything that springs or

grows. " Glacag

A

w/i/i-iiwrtf/?."— Macfarlane.

grassy dell.

—

Kidney vetch, or Lady's Fingers. Anthyllis vulneraria mcoir Mhuire, Mary's fingers ; cas an uai?i, lamb's foot.

Gaelic

:

—

Vicia^ sativa Vetch. Gaelic and Irish fiatghal, nutritious (from \x\u\fiadh, now written biadh, food) ; peasair fiadhain, wild idhys, edible Welsh pease ; peasair chapuill, mares' pease. Irish pis fcadhain, wild pease pis dubh, black peas. pease. :

:

:

v. cracca pease

;

;

— Tufted

/d-i-iz/r

vetch.

(Latin, pisiim

;

Gaelic

:

pesair nan

Inch,

mice

Welsh, /_ví; French, pois, pease),

all from the Celtic root pis, a pea. V. sepium Bush vetch. Gaelic peasair

are

—

peas.

LathyTus pratensis bhuidhe, yellow peas. 1

:

— Yellow Irish

Vicia (from givig, Celtic,

English

i'í'/í-/^.—

Loudon.

:

nam prcas,

vetchling.

Gaelic

:

the bush

peasair

pis b/iindhe, yellow peas.

whence Greek

fiiKiov,

Latin

7-ida,

French

vesce,

—

—

—

— i6

Ervum hirsutum Latin, tilled land).

pysen

y

ceirch,

— Hairy vetch or Gaelic

—cehxh,

tare (from err, Celtic

oats.

Gaelic

gall pheasair, a

:

Gall, sometimes prefixed to

lentils or vetch.

an',

peasairan arhhar, corn peas. Welsh

:

name

names of

:

for

plants

having lowland habitats, or strangers. " Lan ào ghall pht-asair."

— Stuart,

2 Sam.

Full oflen tils.

—

Faba vulgaris Bean. Gaelic ponair. Irish poneir. Corponar {from the Hebrew ^ì:, picl, a bean (Levi). Gaelic

nish

:

:

:

:

ponair fratigach, French beans ; ponair airneach, kidney beans ponair chapiiill, buckbean {Menyanthes trifoliata).

;

" Gabh thugad fòs cruithneachd agus eorna, 2iga% ponair, agus peasair, agus meanbh-pheasair, agus pcasair fhiadhain, agus cuir iad ann an aon soitheach, Stuart, Ezekiel iv. 9. agi.is dean duit fèin aran duibh." thou also unto thee wheat, and barley, and beans, and lentiles, and in one vessel, and make thee bread thereof."

"Take millet,

and fitches, and put them

—Tuberous and (Armstrong), —m/>, dig;

bitter vetch (from

Orobus tuberosus

oro, to excite, to strengthen,

rrt'/rwm/ 7>ioel,

a knob, a tuber

vieille

i.e.,

an

ftaix;,

wíí?/,

ox).

enjoy;

Greek,

opui,

Gaelic and Irish 3.\so

the tuberous root that

:

mall; Welsh: is

dug

;

con-a-

(M'Leod and Dewar). "

Is

clann bheag a trusa leolaicheann

Buain corr an go's

Little children gathering

And

^

M'Intvre.

nam bruachagan." .

.

.

digging the bitter vetch from the holes in the bank.

Corra, a crane, and

ineillg,

a pod, the crane's

Welsh pys y garanod, crane's peas :

Highlanders have a great esteem

;

pod

garan, a crane.

or

peas. "

The

for the tubercles of the roots

;

they dry and chew them to give a better relish to their whisky. They also affirm that they are good against most diseases of the thorax, and that by the use of them they are enabled to repel hunger and thirst for a long time. In Breadalbane and Ross-shire they sometimes bruise and steep them in water, and make an They have agreeable fermented liquor with them, called cainn. a sweet taste, something like the roots of liquorice, and when

boiled are well flavoured

have served as a substitute ^

Leolaicheanu,

blachan,

for

nutritive,

bread

and

in times of scarcity

" (Lightfoot).

probably TrolUtis eicropaits (the globe flower), from 01, Children frequently use the globe flower as a Liiggie, a small wooden dish or it higgle gcnuan,

drink, drinking.

drinking-cup.

may be

and

Scotch

;

:

a corruption from trol or trollen, an old

German word

round, in allusion to the form of the flower, hence Trollius.

signifying

——

;

17

Rosacea.

(From the

Gaelic,

Celtic.

Greek, poSov

;w; Welsh,

Prunus spinosa

— Blackthorn,

ncag, the sloe bush.

"

Irish

:

Sgitheach dilbh,

—

iit

word

tlie

this case

it is

air-

— Ross. means weary, but

it

black, the fearful black one, but

haw

a form of sgeach} a

Welsh

(the fruit of the

eiriuen ddii,

:

the black

a plum.

eiryn,

;

nan

/tc'cjs

:

sloes.

sgith ordinarily diibJi,

white thorn), the black haw.

plum

Gaelic

sloe.

Siiilean air lidh airneag."

also (in Irish) fear;

probably

Armoric, roscn

;

airne, a sloe.

Eyes the colour of

means

rhos

Latin, 7vsa.)

:

" Grim sgitheach an aite criin righ. M'Ellar. A crown of thorns instead of a royal crown.

Droighionn trif

Compare Gothic,

Welsh, draen

;

black penetrator (from

dnb/i, the

pierce, bore).

;

"Croin

German, dorn

driiid, to penetrate,

Sanscrit, /////; Latin,

////7/ //«- ;

English,

;

tJioiii.

Old Poem.

droigìiìch 'on ear's o'niar."-

Thorn-trees on either side.

damascena

P. tion).

P. insititia

— Damson.

— Bullace.

pare Breton, bolos

;

Gaelic and Irish

Gaelic and Irish

Welsh,

P.

daiiusin (corrup-

biilastair.

Com-

biolas, sloes.

—Wild plum. Gaelic plmnbais fiadhainn, wild Latin Welsh Gaelic armeniaca — Apricot.

P. domestica

plum

:

:

;

:

pluiubais scargta^ prunes.

:

:

pi-uuuvi.

apricoc.

:

bricyllcn.

Regnier supposes from the Arabic berkoch, whence the Italian albicocco,

and

the English

observes, a tree

when

first

apricot ;

or,

as

Professor

Martj'n

introduced might have been called

a "praecox," or early fruit, and gardeners taking the article " a" for the first syllable of the word, might easily have corrupted it

to apricots.

P. cerasus

— Cherry-tree.

Gaelic

:

craobh shiris, a corruption

of Cerasus, a town in Pontus in Asia, from first

whence the

brought. "

Do

bheul mar

Thy mouth

Welsh

:

t'

sin's."

like the cherry.

cciriosen. 1

Sscach, also a busli.

tree

was

— i8

—

P. padus Bird cherry. Gaelic craobh f/iiodhag, from Jiodh, wood, timber fiodhach, a shrubbery. :

•

P.

avium

—Wild cherry.

from a German

g!/ig/ie,

Gaelic

Amydalus communis— Almond. Greek

:

Gaelic

amo/i,

:

ciio

ghrcugach,

nut.

A. persica Gaelic

:

— Peach.

ulmaria

Spiraea

Gaelic

— Meadow

crios (or cneas)

poem 'Alt an

his

from the English.

pcitseag,

:

queen of the meadow.

sweet,

-

The

Chu-chidainny

lady's belt" (M'Kenzie). in

French

gea/iais, the gean.

:

root.

"A

plant called "

t-siucair'

the English of which I

\v\\\\

My

M'Donald

flower mentioned by

am

not acquainted" (Armstrong). not mentioned in the

It is

Sain/iraid/i "

poem

referred to, but in "

— The Summer Song. "

S'ciiraiclli

A Na

faileadh

an't

do mhuineil

chrios-Chh-Chiilaiiin nan

d'

Oran

cam

!

chruinn bliabaidean riabhach,

Lòineach, fhad luirgneach, sgiamhacli.

Na

thuim ghiobagach, dreach mliin,

d'

Bharr-bhiudhe, chasurlaich, àird; Timcheall thulmanan diamhair

Ma'ni

bi

'm biadh-ionain a

fà.s.

"

M'Donald.

Sweetly scented thy wreath, Meadcnv-nveet of the cairns

!

In round brindled chisters,

And

softly fringed tresses,

Beautiful,

tall,

and graceful.

Creamy flowered, ringleted, high Around sheltered hillocks Where the wood-sorrel grows.

Welsh

:

llysiii'r fonoyn,

S. filipendula

;

the maiden's flower.

— Dropwort.

Gaelic and Irish

:

greahan

— prob-

ably from greadh, to prepare food.

A g)vad na

"

cuilm."

Preparing the

— OssiAN.

feast.

Linnaeus informs us that, " in a scarcity of corn the tubers have been eaten by men instead of food." Or from greach, a nut. Welsh crogcdyf, crogi, to suspend. The tuberous roots are suspended on filaments; hence the namQ?, Jilipcndu/a and dropivort.

—

:

^

CÙ

Ulster

chullin's

Ciichullin

belt.

militia in the

Christian era. the province.

old

He was Many

was

tlie

Milesian times.

most famous champion of the

He

lived at the

so called from Cu, a hound,

and

stories are still extant regarding him.

dawn of the the name of

Ulliii,

—

Geum

rivale

viacha, a head,

— Water avens.^ — and all^ all

Gaelic: machall allhead

/>.,

Uisge, water.

in proportion to the plant.

in Irish

iiisge ;

—the flower

grows in moist

It

places only. G.

urbanum

wood, where

— Common

Gaelic

avens.

niachall

:

:

being large

coillc,

—

coillc,

generally grows.

it

Dryas octopetala— White

Gaelic

dryas.

:

machall moiiaidh,

(The name was given by an from a specimen from Ben Lawers in 1870.)

the large-flowered mountain plant. old

man

in Killin

Potentilla anserina

— Silverweed,

gean (written also briosglan, Brisgean

milis,

white tansy.

"

sweet bread.

The

Gaelic

from briosg or

brisleaii)^

bris-

:

brisg, brittle.

brisgean, or wild skirret,

a

is

succulent root not unfrequently used by the poorer people in parts of the Highlands for bread" (Armstrong).

some

The

skirret (see Siu/n siscifum)

alluded to

Welsh

is

torllwydd, from

:

reptans

P.

twigged,

—

tori, to

— Cinquefoil.

mea/ig, a

is

The

not native.

Bar

anserma.

Potentilla

b/irisgea/i^

plant here

the flower.

break.

Gaelic

:

meangach, branched

branch; because of

its

runners,

or

long

its

and flower-stalks. C/iig bhileac/i, five-leaved. Irish cuig mhear M/iitire, Mary's five fingers. Welsh blysiiir pump, same

leaf,

:

:

meaning. tormentilla

P.

— Common

potentil,

or

Gaelic

tormentil.

common on the hills Bàrr braonan-nan-con,

that

the

seems

it

dogs'

to follow

briar bud.

:

So

leanartach (from leanar, passive of verb lean, to follow).

one everywhere.

Braonan fraoch

Braonan, the bud of a briar (Armstrong). Braonan bachlag, the earth-nut (i)///////'/>'/y/tvv//i-'j7///^) (M'Donald), from braon, a drop. {fj-aoch,

heather).

—

" Min-fheur chaorach is bàrra-bhraonaii." M'iNTYRE. Soft sheep grass and the flower of the tormentil. Irish

:

neamhnaid, a pearl

(in

Gaelic

:

ncoiiaid).

A\'elsh

:

tresgl

y

vioch.

Comarum uisge, the

palustre

— Marsh

Gaelic

cinquefoil.

:

cuig bhileacii

water five-leaved plant.

Fragaria vesca

— Wood

strawberry.

Gaelic:

snbh (or

siith)

Welsh az'on. GaeUc ahJiainn. river, from the CeUic an. e.g., names in Europe and Asia are derived from this root Garumnus, Garonne reidh-aii, the placid water. Rhenus, the Rhine 1

Avens, a

Many

river

:

:

—

—

garbh-mi, the rough water.

Marne— ;««;/>/;-««,

contraction of seinth-an, the smooth water, &c.

the dead water.

Seine, a

—

—

thalììihain, the earth's sap, tlie earth's

—

dehght (from

sap, juice; also dehght, pleasure, joy, mirth);

siibh or siigh,

t/ial/ii/iai/i,

of

tlie

earth.

" Theing subh-tkali/ihain nam bruach."— M'Uonald.

The Snl>/ia/i /aire,

"

wild strawberries of the bank are done.

the ground sap; t/achd

pleasant

sitb/i,

M'Ix'IVRe.

Siibhaiii /i/Z/v s'faile yliroiseitlean."

Wild strawberries and

fruit.

the odour of gooseberries.

SutJiag^ a strawberry or raspberr)\

"

Cnir deirge n'ant snt/iai; an rulliodh tlia'd ghruidh."'

Thy cheeks Irish

catog, the strawberry bush.

:

Welsh

are ruddier than the strawberry.

:

seeds (the seedy

Cat/i,

fruit).

niefiissai.

Rubus (from ri(b, red in Celtic), in reference fruit in some species. Rubus chamsemorus Cloudberry. (iaelic

to the colour of

the

—

written,

oircag,

:

oig/ircag, foigh/rag, feireag.

Irish

:

variously

cireag{hon\ circachd,

beauty). " P.reac XeftirMgan

is

MTntvre.

cruin dearg ceann."

Checkered with cloudberries with round red heads.

"

The cloudberry

Scotch Highlanders

is

the most grateful fruit gathered by the

" (Neill).

The badge

of Clan M'Farlane. Cruban-na saona, "the dwarf mountain bramble." (O'Reilly, Armstrong, and others). Probably this is another name for the cloudberry, but its peculiar and untranslatable name furnishes no certain clue to what plant it was formerly applied. R. saxatilis Stone bramble. Gaelic caora bad 7niann, the

—

:

berry of the desirable cluster.

Riiiteaga, redness, a slight tinge

of red.

R. idseus tree,

— Raspberry.

Gaelic

:

prcas

siibJi

cJiraobh [craob/i, a

a sprout, a bud), the bush with sappy sprouts. " Fàile nan

shth-clu-aobh

A's nan ròsann."

The odour

Welsh

:

inafon,

— ma/, what

the sappy bush.

is

— MTntyre.

of rasps and roses.

\\'elsh

:

dyrys,

— the

:

(from

R. fruticosus— Common bramble. plural dris.

Gaelic preas

clustering.

Si/g/iag, the fruit

siig/i,

Irish

s/iùid/icag,

juice, sap).

and Gaelic:

dreas,

root rys, entangle, with prefix

—

!

:

In Gaelic and Welsh the words dris and

dy^ force, irritation.

and

drysicn are applied to the bramble

briar indiscriminately.

" An drcas a fas gii h-iirar."— OssiAN. The bramble (or briar) freshly growing. " Am fear theid san droighioiin domh Theid

me

Proverb.

san dris da."

one pass through thorns to me, I'll pass through brambles (or liriars) If

Griaii

miwie,

— muine,

smeiir), the

means a

a thorn, prickle,

bush that smears

Welsh

fruit).

to him.

Dris

the thorn (bush) that basks in the sun.

i/i/uii/u',

(Irish

{Miar or

ineur in Gaelic

(Com-

Smearadid, fingering, greasing, smearing.

finger.)

pare Dutch, smeeren

German,

;

:

smcarag, that which smears (the

;

bramble.

iniar, the

:

Smear phreas

sting.

schmieren, to smear

daub.)

or

Dris-smear, another combination of the preceding names.

This plant

the badge of the Clan M'Lean.

is

— Blue

bramble ; dewberry bush. nan-gonn dhcarc, the blueberry bush. R. csesius

Gaelic

prcas-

:

—

" Bar gach tolmain fo bhrat ,., Abhal ox Adhul which is believed by etymologists to acquire its name from its

—

—

fruitfulness in

apple

sour or bitter one ci/airt,

-

trees.

(the

Goirteag (from goirt,

crab - apple).

round, the roundies.

Irish

:

Cicairtagaii

bitter),

ateirt.

—

" 'San m'an Ruadh-aisrigli ah'fhas na cuairtagaii.'' M'Intyre. It was near the red path where the crab-apples grew. Tliis plant

is

the badge of the Clan Lamont.

the

(the fruit)

M 24

Pyrus aucuparia Gaelic

litis,

:

used to

drink

— Mountain-ash,

{luisj-eog,

the fruit into a very

distil

Old

rowan-tree.

Irish

The Highlanders good spirit. They

a charm).

and

formerly-

also be-

lieved " that

any part of this tree carried about with them would prove a sovereign charm against all the dire effects of enchantment or witchcraft." Lightfoot (1772). Fiiinseag coille, the wood craohh chaoran, the enchantress, or the wood-ash (see Circced)

—

;

berry -tree

a berry).

{caor,

the

fair/a i/ni dcarg,

Irish:

red

crab.

"

dh'eirge a ghruidli

V>\\

11a

caoraa.''

His cheeks were ruddier than

"

Siiil

Fo

tlie

— Ossian. ro\\an.

chorrach mar an dearcag,

rosg a dh-iathas

dlii,

Gruidhean mar na caoi-an Fo n' aodann tha leam ciiin."— An cailin dileas donn.

Thine eyes are like the blaeberry, Full and fresh upon the brae, Thy cheeks shall blush like the rowans On a mellow autumn day. (Translated by Professor J.

S. Blackie.)

This plant is the badge of the Clan M'Lachlan. Pyrus cydonia Quince-tree. Gaelic craobJi

—

:

cliuiiiusc,

ruption of quince, from French coig/iassa, pear-quince.

cor-

Originally

from Cydon in Candia.

AURANTIACE/E. Citrus aurantium

apple Irish

;

:

or

Welsh

or.

"

— The

golden

mheas, :

'S

Gaelic:

orange. fruit

oraisd}

;

or

from

iib/ial,

Latin

golden aiiniiu.

oyr, gold.

Phoebus dàth na'n tonn

Air fiamh oreitsin."

—

'Donald.

And

Phcebus colouiing the waves With an orange tint.

Citrus medica Citrus liinoii.

1

Italian

Gaelic

:

:

craohh

Gaelic

;

s/iitroin.

a-a?ifi

limoin.

French

:

liwonc.

M

'Donald properly orainis. and the same word often spelt

Spelt by

correct,

— Citron.

limonum— Lemon.

given to translating a

name from

His spelling generally different ways.

the English.

— Fergusscm.

He

is

is far

also

from

much

—

—

25

MVRTACE^.

—

Punica granatum Pomegranate. I.atin, granum), grain-apple.

Gaelic

" Tha do gheuga mar OF Solomon.

a'mheas

Thy

Yxq^

gràn

iihhlan, leis

gràu vbhal

:

a's taitniche."

(s^rà//,

— SoNG

plants are an orchard of pomegranates with pleasant fruits.

(Now

generally y^ruXtn

Myrtus communis

"An

ait

— Isaiah

pomgranat

— Myrtle.

in recent editions.)

Gaelic

droighne fàsaidh an guithas, agus an

Iv.

miorial.

:

am

fàsaidh

ait drise

jnioiial."

13.

Instead of the thorn shall grow the

fir,

and instead of the

briar, the myrtle.

Onagrace^. Epilobium montanum

— IMountain

willow-herb.

seikac/ian, diminutive of seilcach (Latin

the resemblance of

same meaning.

its

leaves to

tiie

:

Gaelic: on

a willow), from

salix^

Welsh

willow.

:

hdyglys,

—

E. angustifolium Gaelic: scilcachan fraiigach, Rosebay. French willow. Fcamainn (in Breadalbane), a common name for plants growing near water, especially if they have long stalks. Circaea lutetiana and alpina Enchantress's nightshade. Gaelic and Irish fiiinnseach. Not improbably from Irish ninnseac/i, playing the wanton the reference being to the fruit, which lays hold of the clothes of passengers, from being covered with hooked prickles (as Circe is fabled to have done with her enchantments) or fuinn, a veil, a covering. The genus grows in shady " Fuinn places, where shrubs fit for incantations may be found. (a word of various significations), also means the earth; and seach,

—

:

—

;

dry

—

i.e.,

Fuinnseagal (another Irish name),

the earth-dryer.

from Seagal (Latin,

secolc),

rye

ground-rye

i.e.,

"

(Brockie).

Li/s

na h'oidhnan, the maiden's or enchantress's weed. Lythrace.e.

Lythrum Gaelic

:

Ins

salicaria

an

— Spiked

sith chainnt, the

lythrum,

purple

loosestrife.

peace-speaking plant.

" Chuir Dia oirnn craobh sith chainnt, Bha da'r dionadh gu leoir." Ian Lom.

God put the peace-speaking plant Which sheltered us completely.

The name

also applies to

probably by the Greek

the

common

Xwo-is /xaxT/,

D

over us,

loosestrife,

suggested

of which the English

name

26 " loosestrife "

Irish

a translation.

is

Breal, a

brcailaii leana.

:

was employed as a remedy for glandular or from the appearance of the plant when in seed.

knob, a gland. diseases,

It

The

Brea/lan means also a vessel. tube of the calyx, as

if it

were

capsule

enclosed in the

is

Lean, a swamp.

a vessel.

in

Generally growing in watery places.

Halorage.í:.

—

Myriophyllum spicatum and alterniflorum. Water- milfoil. siiaithe bhatheadh (from snaith, a thread, a Gaelic and Irish filament; and bath, drown), the drowned thread. :

Grossulariace/e.

name of an acid plant. {Rheum libes, mentioned by the Arabian physicians, a different plant). More probably from the Celtic riob, rib, or reub, to ensnare or enRibes, said to be the

tangle, to tear

Gaelic

Latin

:

— many of the species being prickly. gooseberry.

currant,

spiontag,

:

spina, a thorn

;

Irish

Latin

:

spiontog,

:

idbes.

spin.

Welsh

also spion, pull, pluck, tear away.

:

yspinem.

Ribes nigrum currant.

rhyfion

R.

;

— Black currant.

Gaelic

—from

Raosar (Scotch, rizzar Old English, raisin tree),

rubrum

— Red or white —

:

j-aosar diibh, the black

French, raisin

;

Welsh,

for red currant.

Gaelic

currants.

raosar dearg or

:

red or white currants ; dcarc frangach, French berry. Gaelic preas ghrosaid Gooseberry-bush. R. grossularia

gea/,

:

(written also groscag, grosaid), the gooseberry

diminutive of grossus, an unripe berries resemble groscille.

Welsh "

fig,

little half-ripe ^^?,, :

grwysen.

Scotch

— " so

:

grossulus,

called because

grossi" (Loudon).

its

French

:

grozet, graze/.

Suthan-lair's falle ghroseideaii."

Wild strawberry and

—from

—M'Intyre.

the odour of gooseberries.

CRASSULACE.E.

(From stem.

Latin, erassi/s, thick

Gaelic

:

—

in reference to the fleshy leaves

and

crasag, corpulent.)

— Rose-root.

ius nan laoch, meaning a hero, a champion, a term of approbation for a young man. The badge of the Clan Gunn. Gaelic and Irish grafan Stonecrop, wall-pepper. S. acre nan cJach, the stone's pickaxe. Welsh flyddarlys, prick madam.

Sedum

rhodiola

the heroes' plant

;

laoch,

Gaelic and Irish

from the

:

Irish,

—

:

:

—

Also

in Gaelic

manion y

telepMum

S.

ghis-la/i/i

:

— Orpine.

lean,

Scotch

orpie.

Lus nan

French, orpin). a

and glas

Welsh

a green spot.

:

cerg. :

Gaelic

:

orp (from the

laogh, the calf or fawn's plant

laog/i,

;

a fawn, or young deer, a term of endearment for a young

calf,

Welsh iho. INIanx Irish laogh. Welsh fdefin (from I^atin, ickphiuin). House -leek. Sempervirum tectorum child.

:

:

:

Armoric

leig/i.

lite.

;

:

—

Gaelic:

mixed with cream,

is

used as a remedy

g/iaraidh, the garden-wort

orpm)

;

gealach, the

moon

{geal,

or

itself,

for the ear-ache); lus

sometimes written norp (French, lunacy //;///, sick, and

oirp,

—

tin gealach, tineas ?ia gealaich,

;

nan

his

cluas^ the ear-plant (the juice of the plant applied by

white, from Greek, yaka, milk)

;

—

it

be-

ing employed as a remedy for various diseases, particularly those

women and

of the

little

and head complaints. ground -pine.

children,

round

hill; lir-pi/i, the

Irish

:

sinicin,

Welsh:

llysie

pen-ty, house-top plant.

Cotyledon umbilicus

lamhan

— Navel -wort, wall-pennywort.

cat leacain, the hill-cat's glove.

Irish

:

Gaelic:

corn caisiol, the

corn.

from its round convex leaves). Latin corni/, a horn. Welsh French corne ; and caisiol, a wall (or any stone building),

where

it

wall drinking-horn (from corn, a cup, a convex surface peltate

;

:

:

:

frequently grows.

Saxifragace^. Saxifraga stone

-

—

breaker

that disease.

Saxifrage.

— on

Gaelic: clock -bhriseach (Armstrong),

account of

Welsh

:

its

supposed medical virtue

—

S. granulata Meadow saxifrage. which means many, a large number

many

for

cromil yr englyn.

granular roots.

Gaelic and Irish

nioran,

:

— probably referring

to

—

its

Gaelic Chryosplenium oppositifolium Golden saxifrage. nan laogh (the same for Scdi/nt telepJiium). Irish clabrus, from clabar, mud, growing in muddy places gloiris, from gloire, glory, radiance, another name given by the authorities for the

:

/its

:

;

—

" golden saxifrage

;

"

but they probably

mean Saxifraga

a more handsome plant, and extremely brooks and rivulets among the hills. ^

This

is

what

I

always heard

it

called; but

the Highland Society's Dictionary

common

M'Donald

aizoides,

beside the

gives iiorn,

and

in

given creamh-garaidh, evidently a translation by the compilers, as they give the same name to the Leek.

Fergusson.

it

is

—

——

Parnassia palustris

— Grass

Shaw

of Parnassus.

gives the

naxne Jioiuisgoth [Jionn, white, pleasant, and sgoth, a flower), "a Finonan gcal has also flower," but he does not specify which.

been given as the name cate

\\\2X fionnsgoth is

in certain districts,

which seems

to indi-

the true Celtic name.

Araliace^. Hedera

— " Has

been derived from hcdra, a cord,

Celtic

in

"

(Loudon).

Hedera helix covers (from a web),

— Ivy.

Gaelic

which clothes or

cid/ieann, that

:

to clothe, to cover)

eid,

written also eigheann (age,

;

eidh/ic, citncann.

" Spionn an Tear the

Olu Foem.

o'craobh."

eillicanii

ivy from the tree.

" Eitlicann nan crag."— OssiAN.

The " Briseadh

rock-ivy.

nan eidheann torraman trom."

tro chreag

Am fuaran

iir

le

dlu'

Miann a Bhakd Aosda.

Let the new-born gurgling fountain gush from the ivy-covered rock.

Faithleadgh, Irish

Welsh

:

:

faithlah, that which takes hold or possession.

iiddew (from eiddiaw, to appropriate).

(from aighne, affection), that which clinging habit.

its

human

atable to iall,

Gort, sour, bitter beings, though

— the

s/ilaf,

Greek

eiAew

:

the twig that surrounds,

{eileo,

—a

:

aighneann

berries being unpal-

eaten by birds.

a thong, or that which surrounds

root as helix.

Irish

symbolic of affection, from

is

to

lalluin (from

perhaps from the same

);

encompass)

name

;

also

iadh-

likewise given to the

honeysuckle {Loniccra periclymeiium), because

it

twines like the

ivy

" Mar iadh-sldat

ri

stoc aosda."

Like an ivy to an old trunk.

An giit/i,

a spear, a dart.

The badge

of the Clan Gordon.

CoRNACE^. Cornus (from Latin coruc.

"

:

cor>iii,

a horn).

The wood being thought

to

Gaelic corn. French be hard and durable as :

:

horn."

Cornus sanguinea— Dogwood,

dogwood crann

;

avibhaiscne,

cornel-tree.

dog-tree {baiscne, Irish,

coirncl, cornel-tree.

Gaelic a

:

coiii-bhil,

tree).

Irish

:

— —

— Dwarf cornel, —

Swedish cornel. Gaelic wide mouth ; " The berries have a sweet, waterish taste, gluttony, appetite). and are supposed by the Highlanders to create a great appetite, whence the Erse name of the plant" (Stuart of Killin). C. suecica

and

Irish

literally,

lus-a-chraois, plant of gluttony {craos, a

:

—

Umbellifer.ií.

Hydrocotyle vulgaris peig/iiii/i,

— Marsh

the pennywort.

from the resemblance of

Irish

its

pennywort.

Gaelic

na pinghine

Ins

:

Ins 7ia

:

(O'Reilly),

peltate leaf to a peighiiin^—'x Scotch

penny, or the fourth part of a shilling sterling.

Eryngium maritimum tràgkiì, sea-shore

Ikx

(See

Gaelic and Irish

aquifolium).

:

cuilcann

Welsh

y mdr

:

sea-holly {celvnen, holly).

gely/i,

Sanicula europaea tail,

— Sea-holly.

holly.

— the

wink.

Biiine,

speedily, or

— Wood sanicle.

man

old

little

This

ulcers.

is

bodan

:

Irish

— a noted herb, "

an ulcer,

any

Gaelic

of the wood.

coil/e,

caogma,

:

to heal all

—

wood-

caog, to

green wounds

one of Venus, her herbs,

to cure

wounds or what other mischief i1/