What is a sanicle?
By Chelsie Vandaveer
May 16, 2003
killerPlants Tendrils: ~~1~~2~~3~~4~~5~~
Suggested Reading: Click here.
"There be sundry sorts of herbes contained under the name of Sanicle, and yet not one of them agreeing with our common Sanicle, called Diapensia, in any one respect, except in the vertues, whereof no doubt they tooke that name; which number doth dayly increase, by reason that the later writers have put downe more new plants, not written of before by the Antients...." (John Gerard, The Herbal or General Historie of Plants, 1633 edition)
Gerard attempted in his herbal to arrange obviously related plants together. Sanicles were a problem; unrelated plants—Lady's mantle, the great sanicle (Alchemilla species in the Rosaceae or rose family) and the neese-wort sanicle which Gerard calls Elleborine Alpina (Pulsatilla alpina? in the Ranunculaceae or crowfoot family) to the Yorkshire sanicle (Pinguicula vulgaris in the Lentibulariaceae or bladderwort family) to a number of other sanicles (Sanicula species in the Umbelliferae or carrot family and Cortusa species in the Primulaceae or primrose family)—all were lumped together by virtue of their "vertues".
According to the 1889 Century Unabridged Dictionary, sanicle had comparable names in Danish sanikel, Low German sannekele, and Italian sanicola as well as many other European languages. The names were derived from sanicula being the diminutive form of the Latin word sanus, meaning sound and healthy. Healing had a long oral tradition of learning. Most healers were not formally educated and would not think in terms of relatedness of plants. The term sanicle was often applied to any plant with the virtue of healing wounds.
Thomas Schöpke with the Pharmazeutische Biologie has posted a photograph of the great sanicle, also known as Lady's mantle (Alchemilla vulgaris). To view Schöpke's photograph, click on the link:
http://pharm1.pharmazie.uni-greifswald.de/systematik/7_bilder/pios/Pio00613.jpg
Belles Fleurs de France has posted photographs of the flowers of Pulsatilla alpina, possibly the plant Gerard called the neese-wort sanicle. To view the photographs, click on the link
http://erick.dronnet.free.fr/belles_fleurs_de_france/pulsatilla_alpina_alpina1.htm
Skye Flora in the U.K. has posted photographs of Common Butterwort (Pinguicula vulgaris), a plant Gerard called the Yorkshire sanicle. To view the Skye Flora photographs, click on the link:
http://www.plant-identification.co.uk/skye/lentibulariaceae/pinguicula-vulgaris.htm
BioImages in the UK has posted a photograph of sanicle (Sanicula europaea), a plant Gerard called Diapensia. To view the BioImages photograph, click on the link:
http://www.bioimages.org.uk/html/P3/P33669.php
Vascular plants of Poland has posted a photograph of bear's-ear sanicle (Cortusa matthioli). To view Vascular plants of Poland's photograph, click on the link:
http://www.atlas-roslin.pl/gatunki/Cortusa_matthioli.htm
killerPlants Tendrils: ~~1~~2~~3~~4~~5~~
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