Volume 2, Issue 9
Hidden Gems of the Miller Library, Part I:
Geoffrey Grigson's Dictionary of English Plant Names
reviewed by Rebecca Alexander

In this ongoing series, Library staff share favorite finds from among the many diverse resources found here.

You may never have wondered about the etymology of vernacular plant names, but Geoffrey Grigson, author of A Dictionary of English Plant Names (Allen Lane, 1974), has. Why exactly is ‘henbane’ (Hyoscyamus niger) the bane of hens, aside from the fact that it is toxic? It might be because the plant thrives on disturbed or hen-scratched earth, where hens would be more likely to find and consume its poisonous seeds (which will either stun or kill them). There is a more recent interpretation suggesting that the ancient root hen meant death, but the meaning was lost, and relating the name to domestic fowl filled in the knowledge gap. Source: An Analytic Dictionary of English Etymology by Anatoly Liberman, University of Minnesota, 2008.

The folk history of traditional English plant names is colorful and captivating. ‘Brank-ursine’ is a 15^th century name meaning bear’s claw, describing the shape of an Acanthus mollis flower. One common name for Sedum telephium is ‘Midsummer Men,’ originating in a loves-me-loves-me-not game of the 17^th century in which cook-maids and dairy-maids placed pairs of stems in chinks in the wall and waited to see if they inclined toward or away from each other. Every time I consult this book I learn something new and fascinating.

What do evolution and the Emperor of Japan have to do with art about slime molds? Now You See It! The Slime Mold Revelation reveals the stories behind four centuries of artistic devotion to these otherworldly organisms. Just what are slime molds? Worldwide, one-celled bacteria-munching travelers of the earth beneath your feet. Shimmering rainbow-colored spore-filled protists on your rosebush. Tiny dwellers of the arctic, the rainforest, and the desert. Now You See It! is a colorful foray into a little-known world: a visual and scientific delight for all ages. Please come to the library for an opening reception Friday, September 18 from 5 to 7 pm.

Curator Angela Mele is a scientific illustrator finishing the illustrations for a field guide to cosmopolitan slime molds. She recently received a Master of Arts in Museum Studies from the University of Washington.

Seattle's Orchards: a historic legacy meets modern sustainability
by Audrey L. Lieberworth, Scripps College

The heart of this work is a survey of eleven orchards--some historical, others recently planted--including their history, their setting in the neighborhood, and types of trees. Also reviewed are the communities supporting each orchard, broad-based programs that support the preservation of trees throughout the city, and the role of the Seattle Department of Parks and Recreation. 

Excerpted from a review by Brian Thompson in the Fall 2013 Arboretum Bulletin. Find a reference copy of Seattle's Orchards at the Miller Library, or read it online through Scripps.

New to the Library August 2015