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Quiz about British Flowers Historical Medicinal Uses

British Flowers: Historical Medicinal Uses Quiz

Second quiz of my three quiz set on the wild flowers of the British Isles. How much do you know about the historical (and often misplaced) uses of our native flora relating to wellbeing and medicine?

A multiple-choice quiz by Flapjack44. Estimated time: 5 mins.

Author
Flapjack44

Time
5 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
78,768

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
15

Difficulty
Tough

Avg Score
9 / 15

Plays
594

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 15

1. What rare woodland member of the buttercup family was used as a violent purgative for people with worms, the use of which was abandoned when it was noticed that more often than not, the cure killed the patient? Hint

Stinking Hellebore

Traveller's-Joy

Marsh Marigold

Ground Elder

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Question 2 of 15

2. A favourite flower of William Wordsworth, the Lesser Celandine was used by the seventeeth century herbalist Nicholas Culpeper to cure his daughter of the 'King's Evil', Scrofula: True or False?

True

False

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Question 3 of 15

3. The common name of this yellow flowered plant derives from the ancient Greek word meaning 'antidote to poisonous bites' a job for which it is highly effective. Hint

Treacle Mustard

Hedge Mustard

Common Winter Cress

Lady's Mantle

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Question 4 of 15

4. Which five petalled yellow flower has genuine aniseptic powers when laid over wounds? Hint

Tutsan

Hogweed

Fairy Flax

Kidney Vetch

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Question 5 of 15

5. Which plant is commonly used in history and lore to raise ghosts, exorcise spirits and lift curses? Hint

St John's Wort

Alexanders

Sea Sandwort

Black Medick

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Question 6 of 15

6. Which pink flowered plant was used as an anti-aphrodisiac and hangover cure? Hint

Marsh Cinquefoil

Tormentil

Deadly Nightshade

Common Mallow

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Question 7 of 15

7. Herb Bennet used to be considered to be one of the most powerful charms against evil and was hung over doors to prevent the Devil from entering a house: True or False?

True

False

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Question 8 of 15

8. A potion made from this plant was used in judicial executions in ancient Greece. Hint

Hemlock

Cuckoo Pint

Foxglove

Henbane

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Question 9 of 15

9. What member of the dock family was thought to retard the growth of children and was described by Shakespeare in A Midsummer Night's Dream as 'hindering'? Hint

Butterbur

Bistort

Knotgrass

Black Bryony

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Question 10 of 15

10. Which member of the forget-me-not family was used in medieval times to set bones in the manner of plaster of Paris? Hint

Common Comfrey

Bugloss

Corn Gromwell

Green Alcanet

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Question 11 of 15

11. Which of these members of the figwort family is used to treat scrofula (also known as the King's Evil)? Hint

Brooklime

Ivy Leaved Toadflax

Common Figwort

Common Speedwell

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Question 12 of 15

12. Marsh Woundwort is highly toxic when it comes into contact with cuts: True or False?

True

False

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Question 13 of 15

13. The juice of which pink flower's roots was used to calm people down during air raids in World War One? Hint

Common Valerian

Lamb's Lettuce

Red Valerian

Small Scabious

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Question 14 of 15

14. Which flower is used to produce the heart drug, digitalis? Hint

Selfheal

Foxglove

Germander Speedwell

Hemp Agrimony

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Question 15 of 15

15. The name of Devil's-bit Scabious stems from the legend that the Devil's horse shook off its reins and went mad when it ate the brown spotted leaves and yellow flowers of this plant: True or False?

True

False

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

Answer: Stinking Hellebore

It was also used for treating boils and killed a few more patients that way. Stinking Hellebore is also notable for the fact that its seeds are spread by snails.

Answer: True

There is a flower, the Lesser Celandine, That shrinks, like many more, from cold and {rain;} And, the first moment that the sun may shine, Bright as the sun himself, 'tis out again! EXTRACT FROM WORDSWORTH'S THE SMALL CELANDINE

3. The common name of this yellow flowered plant derives from the ancient Greek word meaning 'antidote to poisonous bites' a job for which it is highly effective.

Answer: Treacle Mustard

It is particularly effective against bites (both insect and animal) when made into Venice Treacle, a concoction involving a number of other herbs.

4. Which five petalled yellow flower has genuine aniseptic powers when laid over wounds?

Answer: Tutsan

In fact the name Tutsan is a corruption of the Anglo Norman tutsaine (toute-saine in modern French) which when translated means all-healthy.

5. Which plant is commonly used in history and lore to raise ghosts, exorcise spirits and lift curses?

Answer: St John's Wort

One story goes that the bedroom of the composer Henry Lawes was plagued by a ghost which resisted all attempts at exorcism. Eventually a doctor, called in to help the ailing and exhausted Lawes, put a bunch of St John's Wort under the pillows on the bed and the ghost was seen no more!

6. Which pink flowered plant was used as an anti-aphrodisiac and hangover cure?

Answer: Common Mallow

This relative of the hollyhock and hibiscus was evidently considered to be rather a cure-all and was also used to ward of aching, draw out the poison in wasp stings and soothe cuts.

7. Herb Bennet used to be considered to be one of the most powerful charms against evil and was hung over doors to prevent the Devil from entering a house: True or False?

Answer: True

The plant was named after St Benedict, hence its powers against evil. It was also used as a fly repellent!

8. A potion made from this plant was used in judicial executions in ancient Greece.

Answer: Hemlock

The most famous execution using the extremely poisonous Hemlock being that of Socrates who was accused of 'corruption of the young' and 'neglect of the Gods whom the city worships and the practice of religious novelties'.

9. What member of the dock family was thought to retard the growth of children and was described by Shakespeare in A Midsummer Night's Dream as 'hindering'?

Answer: Knotgrass

The Latin name polygonum stems from the Greek for 'many knees'.

10. Which member of the forget-me-not family was used in medieval times to set bones in the manner of plaster of Paris?

Answer: Common Comfrey

The root of Common Comfrey is grated, packed around the broken limb and left to set hard. Other common names are Knitbone and Boneset. 'Comfrey' itself comes from the Latin 'conferre' meaning 'to bring together'.

11. Which of these members of the figwort family is used to treat scrofula (also known as the King's Evil)?

Answer: Common Figwort

The leaves were also used against skin diseases, sores, abscesses and gangrene.

12. Marsh Woundwort is highly toxic when it comes into contact with cuts: True or False?

Answer: False

In the 16th Century a renowned herbalist John Gerard was in the vicinity when a farm labourer cut their leg down to the bone with a scythe. He offered to treat the wounded man for free but the prospective patient refused his help and proceeded to apply the marsh woundwort.

The wound was re-dressed with fresh leaves everyday and where traditional herbal methods would have taken 40 days to heal the wound, the marsh woundwort worked in just one week. Needless to say Mr Gerard was converted and subsequently used the plant frequently throughout his career.

13. The juice of which pink flower's roots was used to calm people down during air raids in World War One?

Answer: Common Valerian

In previous centuries it was used as a sedative and treatment for headaches, trembling, palpitations and 'hysteric complaints'.

14. Which flower is used to produce the heart drug, digitalis?

Answer: Foxglove

Though of course in the natural state Foxgloves are poisonous.

Answer: False

The actual legend is that the Devil was so incensed at the healing abilities of the plant that he bit away part of the root hoping that this would kill it. He failed of course although the plant now had an much shorter root. Culpeper recommend the boiled root as a treatment for snake-bites, swollen throats, general wounds and also the plague.

Source: Author Flapjack44

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor crisw before going online.
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