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Old 11-07-2003, 02:56 PM
Kay Easton
 
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Default Mandrake, Mandragora Officionalis, Germination

In article , Druss
writes
Excellent, well mine was a very nice dark green leaf, with very slightly
crinkled edges, but it was also labelled up as the Officionalis, (that's
really quite a silly name tho isn't it. Does it really translate as "The
Official Mandrake", and if so are the EU going to be clamping down on the
Mandragora Conterfeitus ?),


No - 'officianalis' means used in medicine.

WT Stearn says the derivation is officina, originally a shop, later a
monastic herb room and later still a pharmacy.
--
Kay Easton

Edward's earthworm page:
http://www.scarboro.demon.co.uk/edward/index.htm