Anyone seen a ferny hoolet?

[Owl-Light]

Hehe, its one of the 'old names' for the Tawny Owl. Don't you just love it? I'm fasinated by all the old names for our wild animals and plants. Here are a few more examples:

• Bird's Foot Trefoil - Eggs-and-Bacon / Hens and Chickens / Dutchman's Clogs
• Columbine - Granny's Night-cap / Granny's Bonnet
• Deadly Nightshade - Devil's Herb* / Enchanter's Nightshade* / Sorcerer's Herb*
• Goat's-beard - Johnny-go-to-bed-at-noon (love that one )
• Foxglove - Dead Man's Bells* / Fairy Thimbles* / Witches Thimbles*

* denotes really old ones source

Anybody know any other good ones?

[honeybee]

what about dandelion then...pee the bed.

[Owl-Light]

lol, really? I hadn't heard that one.
I wonder if theres a book somewhere that delves into the origins of these terms?

[honeybee]

it has various ruder names but the old names are self-explanatory...dandelion milk does make you need a pee if you're silly enough to indulge...the ones you listed were used in potions and spells and foxglove obviously is poisonous. I like the old names.

[Earth Hart]

Fly Agaric is also known as Shamans Bridge. I did write some more but after what has happened today I deleted it.

[honeybee]

Originally Posted by Earth Hart

Fly Agaric is also known as Shamans Bridge. I did write some more but after what has happened today I deleted it.

Is that to do with tripping out?

[Susie]

Originally Posted by Sheryl LaBouchardiere

lol, really? I hadn't heard that one.
I wonder if theres a book somewhere that delves into the origins of these terms?

Not quite what you had in mind but I have an old Readers Digest book called Field Guide to the Wild Flowers of Great Britain and it has all sorts of interesting little snippets about the plants ... for example Ragged robin was also called batchelor's buttons (several other plants were given this name as well) as apparently 16th century West county girls used to pick the flowers, several at a time, and give each the name of a local boy. Whichever flower opened first was said to identify either the boy the girl should marry, or the one who wanted to marry her. It has also been called thunder flower (another name shared with other flowers) because children believed that if they picked the flowers thunder and lightening would occur.

Common Mallow was sometimes called billy buttons, pancake plant or cheese flower and in medieval times was used as an anti-aphrodisiac!

I like the old names too.

[Earth Hart]

Originally Posted by honeybee

Is that to do with tripping out?

The Red&White needs to be treated with respect & responsibility. It's not for tripping out & enjoying the pretty colours.

[Tiggrx]

Another interesting book which covers the names & folklore of plants is "The Englishman's Flora" by Geoffrey Grigson - one of my favourite books.

[eeyore]

Originally Posted by Earth Hart

The Red&White needs to be treated with respect & responsibility. It's not for tripping out & enjoying the pretty colours.

druids and shamans etc used to take it for its halucigenic properties - to help them commune with the gods , hence the name - this is not to be recomended to anyone these days, A freind of mine hospitalised himself once. EH is right on this subject the less said the better.

[Mr Mag00]

Fly Agaric is also known as Shamans Bridge. I did write some more but after what has happened today I deleted it.

you cant put that little snippet out there and not expect an inquizative audience????

[Owl-Light]

Originally Posted by Tiggrx

Another interesting book which covers the names & folklore of plants is "The Englishman's Flora" by Geoffrey Grigson - one of my favourite books.

Sounds good I must look out for it.

I love the myths and legends and beliefs surrounding plants too. Our ancestors had a much closer and more intense relationship with plants and their natural surroundings. Can't help we've lost something there.

It reminds me of the kids on Jamie Oliver's attemps to get wholesome food back into School Dinners. So many of them couldn't even name common vegatables. But I digress, thats another story.

[Jonny]

Food for free by Richard Mabey has a lot of local names for plants too, make you laugh don't they.........

[eeyore]

In dorset they call the early purple orchid , Grandfathers giggles - no idea why

[Owl-Light]

Originally Posted by Jonny

Food for free by Richard Mabey has a lot of local names for plants too, make you laugh don't they.........

They do

Originally Posted by eeyore

In dorset they call the early purple orchid , Grandfathers giggles - no idea why

Someones Grandfather certainly thought so too
Love that one, thanks eeyore, thats gonna be one of my favourites now

[Mr Mag00]

Eeyore when were you in Dorset, where and for whom, if i may be so bold as to ask??

[eeyore]

I used to be a countryside contractor - self employed working out of blandford forum , did a lot of work on arne grange , hod hill, warmwell heath, pepperbox hill (hants), holton heath, and three leged cross.

I went out of business as a result of foot and mouth in 2001

[Deer Stalker]

I think Lords & Lady's Arum maculatum has the most, with about 100 common names.

[Jonny]

Originally Posted by Sheryl LaBouchardiere

Hehe, its one of the 'old names' for the Tawny Owl. Don't you just love it? I'm fasinated by all the old names for our wild animals and plants. Here are a few more examples:

• Bird's Foot Trefoil - Eggs-and-Bacon / Hens and Chickens / Dutchman's Clogs
• Columbine - Granny's Night-cap / Granny's Bonnet
• Deadly Nightshade - Devil's Herb* / Enchanter's Nightshade* / Sorcerer's Herb*
• Goat's-beard - Johnny-go-to-bed-at-noon (love that one )
• Foxglove - Dead Man's Bells* / Fairy Thimbles* / Witches Thimbles*

* denotes really old ones source

Anybody know any other good ones?

I like the one for Goatsbeard on your source.................

[Deer Stalker]

The one I like telling people for Birds Foot Trefoil is Granny's Toenails.

[Mr Mag00]

thats a new one on me! there are loads for pill bugs and woodlice, none of which i can remember as all way outrageous. I always get them when im teaching kids from villages its extraordinary

[Mr Mag00]

I think Lords & Lady's Arum maculatum has the most, with about 100 common names.

its after the watershed can we post some plz plz pretty plz, im feeling childish lol!!!

only kidding

[henrya]

Quote
In dorset they call the early purple orchid , Grandfathers giggles - no idea why
Endquote

Grigson spells it 'griggles', and a griggle is a small apple left on the tree by the pickers. Presumably a reference to the small tubers. There may also be some post watershed reference here!

henrya

[honeybee]

Originally Posted by Mr Mag00

thats a new one on me! there are loads for pill bugs and woodlice, none of which i can remember as all way outrageous. I always get them when im teaching kids from villages its extraordinary

My grandad used to call woodlice 'cheeseybugs'!

[fbcpmike]

There are a few animals in here too -

Alfalfa, Lucerne (Medicago sativa) - Purple Medic, Buffalo Grass, and Chilean Clover.
Agrimony (Agrimonia eupatoria) - Cockeburr, Stickwort, Church Steeples.
Birch (Betula pendula) - Warty Birch.
Birdsfoot Trefoil (Lotus corniculatus) - Bacon and Eggs, Tom Thumb.
Black Bulgar (Bulgaria inquinans) - Gum mushroom, Jelly Drops, Rubber Buttons.
Brimstone Butterfly (Gonopteryx rhamni) - Yellow Bird.
Bullace (Green Damson) - Wild Damson, Bolas, Bullions.
Chickweed (Stellaria media) - Christmas star.
Columbine (Aquilegia vulgaris) - Granny's bonnet, Culverwort, European Crowfoot.
Common Ink Cap (Coprinus atramentarius) - Tipplers Bane.
Common Knapweed (Centaurea nigra) - Hardheads.
Cranefly (Tipula paludosa) - Bobbing Gnats.
Crocosmia (ssp.) - Falling Stars, Coppertips.
Autumn Crocus (Colchicum autumnale) - Naked-ladies, Meadow Saffron.
Candlesnuff Fungus (Xylaria hypoxylon) - Staghorn.
Cyclamen (Cyclamen hederaefolium) - Sowbread.
Daffodil (Narcissus pseudonarcissus) - The Lent Lily.
Dunnock (Prunella modularis) - Hedge Accentor, Hedge Warbler, Hedge Sparrow.
Eurasian Nuthatch (Sitta europaea) - Woodcracker, Nutjobber.
Field Bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis) - Morning Glory.
Flote Grass (Glyceria fluitans) - Floating Sweet Grass.
Garlic Mustard (Alliaria petiola) - Hedge Garlic, Jack-by-the-hedge, Poor man's mustard, Garlic Wort.
Grape Hyacinth (Hyacinthus orientalis) - Starch Hyacinth, Feather Hyacinth, Purse Tassel.
Goosegrass (Galium aparine) - Cleavers or Sticky Willie.
Great Willowherb (Epilobium angustifolium) - Blood Vine, Purple Rocket.
Greater Stitchwort (Stellaria holostea) - Dead Man's Bones.
Green Shield Bug (Palomena prasina) - Green Stink Bug.
Hairy Bittercress (Cardamine hirsuta) - Lamb's Cress, Scurvy Grass.
Hare'sfoot Inkcap (Coprinus lagopus) - Woolly Inkcap, Fairies Shelter.
Hazel (Corylus avellana) - Filberts.
Holly (Ilex aquifolium) - Holm.
King Alfred's cakes (Daldinia concentrica) - Cramp balls, Carbon balls, Coal fungus.
Laburnum (Laburnum anagyroides) - Golden Chain, Bean tree.
Loddon Lily (Leucojum aestivum) - Summer or Giant Snowflake.
Lords & Ladies (Arum maculatum) - Cuckoo Pint, Friar's Cowl, Adder's Root.
Mahonia (Mahonia aquifolium) - Grape Holly.
Marsh Marigold (Caltha palustris) - Leopard's Foot, Bull's Eyes, Meadow Routs.
Marsh Woundwort (Stachys palustris) - All-Heal, Clown's Woundwort, Downy Woundwort.
Lesser Burdock(Arctium minus) - Beggar's Buttons, Cockle Button.
Mugwort (Artemesia vulgaris) - St. John's Plant, Cronewort, Felon Herb.
Oxeye Daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare) - Marguerites, Dog Daisy.
Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) - Thistle Butterfly.
Raspberry (Rubus idaeus) - Hindberry.
Red Bartsia (Odontites verna) - Eyebright, Red Rattle.
Rose Chafer (Cetonia aurata) - Goldsmith beetle, Golden Fly.
Shaggy Ink Cap (Coprinus comatus) - Lawyer's Wig.
Snowdrop (Galanthus nivalis) - Flower of Hope.
Star of Bethlehem (Ornithogalum umbellatum) - Sleepy oooo, Doves Dung.
St John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum) - Goat weed, Touch-and-heal.
Sulphur Tuft (Hypholoma fasiculare) - Honey Fungus, Green-gilled Woodlover.
Wild Carrot (Daucus carota) - Queen Ann's Lace.
Wood Avens (Geum urbanum) - Herb Bennet, Clover-Root.
Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) - Thousand-leaf, Soldiers Woundwort, Old-man's-pepper.
Himalayan Balsam (Impatiens glandulifera) - Policeman's helmet, Poor Man's Orchid, Indian Balsam, Indian Touch-Me-Not, Ornamental Jewelweed.
Ladybirds (various) - God's Horses, Dowdy Cows.
Yellow Hawkweed (Hieracium praealtum) - King Devil.
White Bryony (Bryonia alba L.) - English Mandrake