Anchusa arvensis (Linnaeus) M. Bieberstein
Lycopsis arvensis Linnaeus
bugloss
Europe, western Asia; introduced into North America
(Name confusion suspected) A herb described by Dioscorides under the
name Anchusa,which means ‘ox-tongue’ in Greek, has been identified with
various plants with rough and prickly leaves. The bugloss which occurs in
light cultivated soils across much of the British Isles,A. arvensis,is a likely
plant to have attracted herbal use, but the one or two records in the folk lit-
erature ascribed to that lack botanical authentication and could equally well
belong to other species. In Ireland, the similar name boglus has also been
applied too variously for any certainties.
Myosotis Linnaeus
forget-me-not
temperate regions of the northern and southern hemispheres
The name Myosotis in Latin translates as ‘mouse-ear’, a name which has gen-
erally been in herbal use for Pilosella officinarum (mouse-ear hawkweed), a
favourite folk remedy for coughs. In view of that possible source of confusion
and that only two records ascribed to a species ofMyosotis have been traced
in the folklore literature (Devon,^40 Kent^41 ), and those both also of use for
coughs (and other chest complaints in the former case), there must be some
slight suspicion whether the identifications were correct. However, all the
members of this genus are mucilaginous and astringent, like comfrey, and
some at least have featured in official medicine, so the records can perhaps
receive the benefit of the doubt.
Cynoglossum officinale Linnaeus
hound’s-tongue
northern and central Europe, Asia; introduced into North America
Widespread in the south-eastern third of England,Cynoglossum officinale
becomes essentially a maritime plant as it thins out northwards and west-
wards—as along the eastern coast of Ireland, where it is locally frequent. The
one localised Irish record from within that range (Portrane, Co. Dublin^42 )
seems likely to have involved the use of wild specimens; juice was rubbed on
the arm rashes locally known as felons. Two other Irish records, however, are
from counties in which the species is unknown outside gardens: in Mona-
ghan it has been valued for coughs^43 and in Limerick its leaves have supplied
a hot dressing for burns.^44 At one time it was also used in parts of Ireland by
210 Anchusa arvensis