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G E N T IA N . The Gentian (Gentiana) was so called after
Gentms, King of Illyria, who first discovered the medicinal virtues
of this bitter plant. Gentius having imprisoned the ambassadors
sent to his court by the Romans, they invaded his kingdom, conquered
It, and led the royal botanist and his family in triumph
through the streets of Rome. The old name of this flower was
Gentiana cruciata, and it was also called S. Ladislai Regis herha, in
rogard to which latter appellation, there is a curious legend-—
Itoring the reign of King Ladislas, the whole of Hungary was
afflicted with the plague. Compassionating his unfortunate sub-
jedts who were dying by thousands, the pious king praj'ed that if
he shot an arrow into the air, the Almighty would vouchsafe to
guide It to the root of some herb that might be employed efficaciously
m arresting the terrible plague. The king discharged an
arrow, and, in falling, it cleft the root of the Cruciata (Gentian),
which was at once tried, and found to possess the most astonishing
curative powers when administered to sufferers from the plague
According to old Robert Turner, the herbalist. Gentian, or
helwort, “ resists poisons, putrefadlion, and the pestilence, and
helps digestion; the powder of the dry roots helps bitings of mad
dogs and venomous beasts, opens the liver, and procures an
appetite. Wine, wherein the herb hath been steept, being drunk,
refreshes such as are over-wearied by travel, or are lame in their
joynts by cold or bad lodgings.” Gerarde states that it is put into
composition named Theriaca diatessaron,
which oEtms calleth Mysterium, a mystery, or hid secret.” Formerly
the names of Baldmoney and Baldmoyne were applied to the Felwort
or Gentian. (See Baldmoney and F e ldw o d e .) Gentian is
under the dominion of Mars.
Geranium.—See Crane’s Bill.
G i l l .—See Ivy.
p ’lI - 'L IF L fO W E R .—-The appellation of Gilliflower has been
applied, apparently as a kind of pet name, to all manner of plants
Formerly the word was spelt gyllofer and gilofre, from the French
g iro fe and Italian garofalo, words derived from the Latin Caryo-
phyllum and Greek Karuophullon, a Clove, in allusion to the flower’s
spicy odour. The name was originally given by the Italians to the
Carnation and plants of the Pink tribe, and was so used by Chaucer
Spenser, and Shakspeare. Afterwards both writers and gardeners
bestowed the name on the Matthiola and Cheiranthus. At the present
time the word has almost fallen out of use, but in books will be
found to be applied to the Clove Gilliflower, Dianthus Caryophyllus
the true Gilliflower); the Marsh Gilliflower, or Ragged Robin
(Lychnis f s cuculi) ; Queen’s, Rogue’s, or Winter Gilliflower, the
Darne s Yxomi (Hesperis matronalis) ; Stock Gilliflower (Matthiola in-
cana); Wall Gilliflower (Cheiranthus Cheiri); and Water Gilliflower
(Hottoma palustris). The Gilliflower is in old songs represented
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as one of the flowers thought to grow in Paradise. Thus, in a ballad
called ‘ Dead Men’s Songs,’ occurs the following verse :—
“ The fields about the city faire
Were all with Roses set.
Gillyflowers and Carnations faire
Which canker could not fret.”
(See also Carnat ion) .
G IN S E N G .—The Chinese consider the far-famed Ginseng
(Panax quinquefolia) the most valuable producflion of nature. It is
their specific for all disorders of the lungs or of the stomach, curing
asthma, strengthening the eyesight, renewing a worn-out constitution,
delaying the approach of old age, and afting as a counterpoison.
The Dutch naturalists thus described the Ginseng:__“ Its
name is taken from its shape, because its represents a man (in
Chinese Gin) striding with his legs. It is a larger and stronger
species of our Mandrake. The dried root is of a yellow colour,
streaked round with blackish veins, as if drawn with ink. It yields
when chewed an unpleasant sweetness, mixed with bitterness. The
Chinese will give three pounds of gold for one pound of it.” To
the Chinese this shrub is in some measure a foreign producflion, as
it is found only in Manchoo Tartary; but it does not owe all’ its
reputation to its distant origin; the Tartars also prize it, and give
it a name (Orhota) expressive of its quality as the chief of plants. ^
They endeavour to procure it at the risk of losing their lives or
liberty, equally endangered by the nature of the country where it
is found, and by the policy of the Chinese Government, which
endeavours to monopolise this much-esteemed producflion. A
large extent of country to the north-east of Pekin, covered with
inaccessible mountains, and almost impassable forests infested with
wild beasts, and affording no means of subsistence, is separated
from the province of Leao Tong by a strong barrier of stakes,
always carefully protecfled by guards of Chinese soldiers who seize
and punish unlicensed intruders: this is the native country of
Ginseng, and these precautions are considered necessary to preserve
the valued plant from depredation. The Père Jartoux, who
was employed in the survey of Tartary by order of the Emperor
Kam-he, describes the mode of gathering the Ginseng, as it was
pracflised at that time. He had frequently met with the party of
Tartars employed on the service, but on this occasion ten thousand
Tartars were commanded to gather all the Ginseng that could be
found ; and after deducting two ounces from the quantity gathered
by each man, they were allowed for the remainder its weight in pure
silver. This army of botanists divided themselves into companies
of a hundred men, with a chief to each company. The whole territory
was then apportioned to the several divisions ; each division
formed a line, and, slowly advancing, traversed that portion of
country allotted to it ; nearly six months were spent in the occu-
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