26
63 Wroths Path, Loughton, Essex.
KEN ADAMS
DYER'S GREENWEED
One of the less common plants that was seen on
the Field Club meeting at Skipper's Island in
July was Dyer's Greenweed - Genista tinctoria.
The question was raised as to which colour dye
it produced and I thought that members might
be interested in the following extract from
'English Botany' by James Sowerby F.L.S.,
published in 1790:
Genista tinctoria
Dyer's Greenweed
In pastures and on dry barren banks in the
borders of fields very frequent. When in flower
in the months of July and August, it entirely
clothes the places where it abounds with a rich
glowing yellow. The root creeps very far, and
throws up a great number of stems, very much
branched, one or two feet high. The branches are
so strongly striated that they might almost be
called angular, or rather furrowed. Ray
observes in his Synopsis, that this plant is but
too frequent in pastures, as it gives a bitter
taste to the milk of cows which feed upon it.
He adds, that the whole plant dyes a yellow
colour, which by means of woad is afterwards
made green; and Dr. Witherby says the dyers
prefer it to all other yellows for wool that is
to be dyed green.
The seeds, in this species at least, are generally
numerous, scarcely ever solitary, as described
in the Genera Plantarum.
PAM JERMYN