shepherd's purse

English
Shepherd's purse seeds in the seed pod from which it gets its name

Etymology

Alluding to the shape of its seed vessel. Compare mediaeval Latin bursa pastoris, French bourse-à-berger, German Hirtentasche.

Noun

shepherd's purse (uncountable)

  1. An edible weed, Capsella bursa-pastoris, family Brassicaceae, native to Europe but now found world-wide.
    Synonym: shepherd's pouch
    • 1612, Michael Drayton, Poly-Olbion song 13 p. 218:
      To him that hath a flux, of Sheepheards purse he gives
    • 1979, Angela Carter, “The Erl-King”, in The Bloody Chamber, Vintage 2006, page 98:
      Stewed nettles; savoury messes of chickweed sprinkled with nutmeg; he cooks the foliage of shepherd's purse as if it were cabbage.

Translations

Further reading
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