Why is it called pennyroyal?
By Chelsie Vandaveer
July 20, 2001
killerPlants Tendrils: ~~1~~2~~3~~4~~5~~
Suggested Reading: Click here.
Pennyroyal (Mentha pulegium) [men' tha pull ee' gee um] is a name built on centuries of misunderstanding. For its reputation of driving away fleas (pulex, in Latin), the Roman historian, Pliny named this creeping mint, Pulegium. It was one of the strewing herbs; those plants collected and scattered on the floor to drive away insects and release fragrance when stepped on.
Herbalists in the Middle Ages called this plant, 'Pulioll-royall', a bastardization of Pulegium regium, royal flea chaser. Commoners misunderstanding the word 'pulioll-royall' made the name pennyroyal.
When Linnaeus bestowed a scientific name on this herb, he placed it in the genus Mentha for mint and kept pulegium in honor of Pliny.
Botanical.com has online A Modern Herbal, first published in 1931, by Mrs. M. Grieve. For more information on pennyroyal click on the link below:
http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/p/pennyr23.html
killerPlants Tendrils: ~~1~~2~~3~~4~~5~~
Suggested Reading:
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What moth makes insect repellant? Renfield's Garden - August 28, 2002
What is flea-wort? Herbal Folklore - December 8, 2003
How was this Biblical plant used? Herbal Folklore - May 13, 2002
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