Amethyst Eryngo

AMETHYST ERYNGO, Eryngium amethystinu

SEASIDE botanists are well acquainted with the curious spiny leaves of the sea-holly, which attract no less by their glaucous colour than their challenge of war. When in flower the plant has a fine, daring sort of beauty, and may remind one of the story of the thistle that the invading Dane trod upon, when, by reason of his cry of pain, the plant was promoted to the banner of Scotland. This seaholly might be called a thistle, but, as a matter of fact, it is, an umbelliferous plant, where as the thistle is a true composite. The alliance of the eryngo is with the hemlocks, that of the thistle with the asters: and so an eryngo is not a thistle, but agrees in the circumstance of being armed for defence against all ordinary foes.

All the eryngos, our own seaside friend in particular, may be turned to account by drying them for winter decorations, their tough texture and very distinctive forms favouring this use of them. Whether the roots of the garden eryngos are of any economic value we cannot say; but we call to mind that the bitter roots of the British wilding have enjoyed some fame as a valuable tonic, and from the most ancient times have been made into a sweetmeat with the aid of sugar. Once upon a time the town of Colchester presented royalty with a delicate sample of candied sea-holly roots, and the sale of the article thereupon increased greatly, while, as a matter of course, many wonderful cures were effected by the confection.