Last Update: 01.12.2011 21:00
Old-English: mistel, mistil, mistel-, mistil-,
Latin (Machine generated): OCIMUM, OCIMUS, UISCUM, UISCUS,
↑ topL VISCUM = 1. 'misteltoe', 2. 'birdlime'.
L VISCUS / VISCUM can also denote L. europaeus (cf. André 1985, s.v. UISCUM), this mistle is not native to Britain.
The identification 'Clinopodium vulgare L.; cushion calamint; Gewöhnlicher Wirbeldost' and 'Ocimum basilicum L.; basil; Basilienkraut' (cf. BT, s.v. mistel I, CH, s.v. mistel 2, OED, s.v. missel 2) have to be refuted because they are based on the (wrong) assumption that these plants (which are in no way related to V. album) are the only identification the OE translator had for L OCIMUS (HA CXIX: HERBA OCIMUS ƀ is mistel).
There is a more likely explanation: In the L HA, ch. CXIX (CARDUS SILUATICUS) OCIMUS is synonym with CHAMAELEON NIGER (Howald / Sigerist 1927,110,20), which is Cardopatium corymbosum (L.) Pers., black chamoelon, Schirmsaflor, a thistle-species (cf. André 1985, s.v.). Dioscorides has an other synonym: OKIMOIDES ("Dem Basilikon, βασιλικός (nach Nikander an Geruch) ähnlich." cf. Berendes 1902,269). The gloss mistel is understood more easily after reading Is. 17,9,25: CHAMAELEON, QUAE LATINE VISCARAGO VOCATUR EO QUOD VISCUM GIGNAT; IN QUO HAERENT AVES QUAE PROPRIA VOLUNTATE DESCENDUNT AD ESCAM.[1] The L lemma COCINIUM in Laud 1510 may be a corrupted COCCUM CNIDIUM 'cnidic berry', another synonym of CHAMAELEON NIGER (cf. André, 1985, s.v.).
deVriend (1984,315) additionally suggests Calamintha clinopodium Berth.; D'Aronco (1998,56) literally translates the L lemma with Ocimum basilicum (followed by Van Arsdall 2002,200); Pollington (2000,141) prefers misteltoe.
Cf. our discussion on Clinopodium vulgare.
mihs-tlo-> Gmc. mistilō; cf. OHG mistil, MHG mistel, ON only in the combination mistilteinn
Viscum album L., mistletoe, Laubholz-Mistel |
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Botanical-Information: stylised plate Source: →reference-information
Thomé, Otto Wilhelm.
Flora von Deutschland, Österreich und der Schweiz. In 4 Mappen ; 531 Tafeln in naturgetreuen Farben mit 668 Pflanzenarten. Leipzip: Teubner, 1938.
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Cf. Dioskorides III,8 (Berendes 1902,268; description of CHAMAELEON ALBUS, Atractylis gummifera L.; pine thistle; Mastixdistel): "Man hat es Ixia genannt, weil auf seiner Wurzel in einigen Gegenden ein Gummi [= ίξόν, VISCUM ] sich findet, welches die Frauen statt des Mastix gebrauchen." IXIA is synonym with CHAMAELEON NIGER (cf. André). In connection to Viscium album L. cf. Genaust (2005, s.v.): "lat. VISCUM "Mistel; daraus hergestellter Vogelleim" [...], das über eine alters Form *uiksos verwandt ist mit gr. ixós "Mistel"."
Rosier: VISCUS mistel. ł [...] lus ubi testiculi ŝt; Junius 77, S.220: VISCUS, mistel. On the L interpretament cf. n.1: UISCUS, -ERA.
Wrongly glossed: VISCUS, pl. VISCERA "entrails, Eingeweide" is intended; cf. context: PULPA UERO EST CARO, SINE PINGUEDINE [...] HANC PLERIQUE UISCUM MISTIL UOCANT.
Ch. CXXXVII; source: Dioscorides, IV193 (Berendes 1902,474): "Das große Heliotropion [...] hat denen des Basilikum ähnliche Blätter."
L VISCUM = 1. 'misteltoe', 2. 'birdlime'.