The Order of the Thistle is a Scottish order of knighthood. It was founded in 1687 by James II. The order consists of the sovereign and sixteen knights. The knights wear a collar of thistles, alternating with double sprigs of rue in saltire in their proper colours and pendant there from a golden star of eight rays, called the glory. Upon the star is the figure of St Andrew in a green and purple cloak, holding in front of him a white saltire. The ribbon is green. The motto of the order is Nemo me impune lacessit. Research Order of the Thistle
Satinwood is a very light coloured, yellowish timber derived from various trees of the Rue family, and used in furniture and cabinet making. Two particular trees yield satinwood: the Sri Lanka satinwood (Chloroxylon swietenia) and the Jamaican satinwood (Zanthoxylum flavum). Research Satinwood
Asplenium is a genus of ferns, of the natural order Polypodiaceae. Nine species are found in Britain, among them the well-known Maiden-hair and Wall-rue. Research Asplenium
The chestnut (popularly known as the sweet chestnut) is a genus of plants, of the order Cupuliferae, allied to the beech. The common or Spanish chestnut (Castanea vesca) is a stately tree, with large, handsome, serrated, dark-green leaves. The fruit consists of two or more seeds enveloped in a prickly husk. Probably a native of Asia Minor, it has long been naturalized in Europe, and was perhaps introduced into Britain by the Romans - some sources suggest it may be indigenous. The tree grows freely in Britain, and may reach the age of many centuries. The timber of the tree was formerly more in use than it is now; it is inferior to that of the oak, though very similar to it in appearance, especially when old. Two American species of chestnuts, Chestnut americana and Chestnut pumila (the latter a shrub), have edible fruits. The former is often regarded as identical with the European tree. The name of Cape Chestnut is given to a beautiful tree of the rue family, a native of South Africa. The MoretonBay Chestnut is a leguminous tree of Australia, Castanospe-mum australe, with fruits resembling those of the chestnut. The water-chestnut is the water-caltrop, Trapa natans. The horse chestnut is quite a different tree from the common or sweet chestnut. Research Chestnut
Citrus is a genus of trees and shrubs of the rue family, natural order Aurantiacese which includes the lemon, orange, lime and tangerine. They are widely cultivated for their edible fruit. They are characterized by simple ovate acuminate leaves or leaflets united by a distinct joint to the leaf-like stalk; by having the stamens united by their filaments into several irregular bundles, and by yielding a pulpy fruit with a spongy rind. Citrus medica is the citron. Other species are the lemon (Citrus limonum), the sweet orange (Citrus aurantium), the bitterorange (Citrus vulgaris), the shaddock (Citrus decumana}, and the forbidden fruit (Citrus paradisi), sometimes used as an ornamental addition to dessert. The genus Citrus furnishes the essential oils of orange and lemon peels, of orange flowers, of citronpeel, of bergamot, and oil of orange leaves - all much esteemed in perfumery. Research Citrus
Common Rue (Ruta graveolens) is a strong smelling yellowish-flowered British garden plant. The leaves are pinnately divided, lanceolate or narrowly rectangular. It was once used as a charm against witches and is mentioned in Shakespeare's works as the 'herb of grace'. Research Common Rue
Dittany is the popular name of the plants of the genus Dictamnus, a herb of the rue family (Rutaceae), found in the Mediterranean region. The leaves are pinnate, the large white or rose-coloured flowers are in terminal racemes. The whole plant is covered with oily glands, and the secreted oil is so volatile that in hot weather the air round the plant becomes inflammable. Dictamnus Fraxinella and Dictamnus albus are found in gardens. The dittany of the United States is Cunila Mariana, a labiate plant. The dittany of Crete is Origanum Dictamnus, and the bastard dittany is a species of Marrubium (horehound), both labiates. Research Dittany
Goat's-rue (Galega officinalis) of French lilac, is a leguminous bushy perennialherb indigenous to southern Europe. It has an erect, hairless angled stem and alternate, odd pinnate leaves with four to twelve pairs of rectangular leaflets. The flowers are white, pinkish or lilac and arranged in long erect racemes in the leaf axils. It is used as forage and was once used as a cordial to treat fever and convulsions. Research Goat's-rue
Rue (Ruta graveolens) or herb of grace is a poisonous, perennial evergreen herb or sub shrub of the family Rutaceae, with erect, little-branched stems, which are often woody at the base. Its leaves, which are alternate, smooth, grey-green in colour, gland-dotted and two or three times pinnately divided with rectangular segments, were formerly used as a flavouring and in medicine. The flowers are yellowish-green in colour, glandular and arranged in terminal cymes. The flowers have four petals with undulate margins. The fruit is a capsule with black coloured, crescent-shaped seeds. Rue was believed a defence against witchcraft, and signified repentance and grace (hence its alternative name of herb of grace). Rue has been recommended as a cat repellent since the Roman times, cats detest intensely the smell of crushed rue leaves. Research Rue
Rutaceae is a family of plants, consisting of 1700 species of shrubs and trees in about 160 genera. Species in this family are most abundant in tropical areas. Their leaves are commonly evergreen and leathery in texture, oily and aromatic when crushed. Some species have thorns. The flowers usually have five or four sepals and petals, with stamens double the number of the petals. The fused carpels vary in number, and the fruit is of variable type, sometimes dry as in rue, or a berry as in Skimmia. Probably the best-known members of the family are the citrus fruits, orange, lemon and lime. Research Rutaceae
The Probert Encyclopaedia was designed, edited and programed by
Matt and Leela Probert
Abbreviations
Research Order of the Thistle
