CHAP. 62—THE PERDICIUM. THE ORNITHOGALE.
It is not in Egypt only that the perdicium[1] is eaten; it owes
its name to the partridge,[2] which bird is extremely fond of
digging it up. The roots of it are thick and very numerous:
and so, too, with the ornithogale,[3] which has a tender white
stalk, and a root half a foot in thickness, bulbous, soft, and
provided with three or four other offsets attached to it. It is
generally used boiled in pottage.[4]
1. Supposed by most commentators to be the Parietaria officinalis of
Linnæus; Wall pellitory or parietary. Some, however, have suggested
the Polygonum maritimum, or the Polygonum divaricatum of Linnæus.
Fée expresses doubts as to its identity, but remarks that the modern Greek
name of pellitory is "perdikaki." See c. 104 of this Book, and B. xxii.
c. 20.
2. "Perdix," the Greek name.
3. Probably the Ornithogalum umbellatum of Linnæus. Sprengel identifies it with the Ornithogalum natans: but that variety is not found in
Greece, while the other is.
4. "Puls."