COCKLE
Plants, Cockle, Corncockle, Weeds Seona Anderson Plants, Cockle, Corncockle, Weeds Seona Anderson

COCKLE

Shakespeare Species Cockle: we nourish ‘gainst our senate the cockle of rebellion, insolence, sedition. Corncockle was formerly so familiar in arable fields that it was a byword for rebellion & disorder, a weed destroying the order & productivity of the crop. Now it is one of the rarest arable plants throughout Europe because of seed cleaning methods.

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HEMLOCK
Plants, Poison, Hemlock, Magic, Weeds Seona Anderson Plants, Poison, Hemlock, Magic, Weeds Seona Anderson

HEMLOCK

Shakespeare Species Hemlock: root of hemlock digg’d i’ th’ dark… for the ingredience of our cauldron. Hemlock is a poisonous member of the Carrot family. Shakespeare uses it in the witches’ broth, in King Lear’s crown of weeds and in Burgundy’s description of war ravaged France.

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MALLOW
Plant, Mallow, Weeds Seona Anderson Plant, Mallow, Weeds Seona Anderson

MALLOW

Shakespeare Species Mallow: Had I plantation of this isle…He’d sow ‘t with nettle seed…Or docks, or mallow. Gonzalo is mocked by his companions when he tries to talk about a new form of land management. Mallow, docks and nettles being weeds.

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NETTLE
Plant, Weeds, Nettle Seona Anderson Plant, Weeds, Nettle Seona Anderson

NETTLE

Shakespeare Species Quote of the Day, NETTLE: yield stinging nettles to mine enemies. Nettles can be painful but they are also food for humans and other animals and provide a strong fiber which was highly valued.

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FUMITORY
Plants, Weeds, Fumitory Seona Anderson Plants, Weeds, Fumitory Seona Anderson

FUMITORY

Shakespeare Species Quote of the Day, FUMITORY: crowned with rank fumiter and farrow weeds. King Lear crowns himself with weeds rather than crops or high status flower as an indication of his mental state.

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DOCKS
Plants, Weeds, Docks Seona Anderson Plants, Weeds, Docks Seona Anderson

DOCKS

Shakespeare Species Quote of the Day, DOCKS: nothing teems but hateful docks, rough thistles, kecksies, burr. The Dock is one of the most successful colonisers of unmanaged ground and hence a hated weed of Shakespeare’s world.

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Thistle
Plants, Weeds, Thistle Seona Anderson Plants, Weeds, Thistle Seona Anderson

Thistle

Shakespeare Species Quote of the Day, THISTLE: nothing teems but hateful docks, rough thistles, kecksies, burrs, losing both beauty and utility.

#shakespearespecies #folio400 #standrewsday

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Burrs
Burr, Weeds Seona Anderson Burr, Weeds Seona Anderson

Burrs

Shakespeare Species Quote of the Day, BURR: Hang off thou cat, thou burr! Vile thing, let loose, Or I will shake thee from me like a serpent.

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