(From agnus, a lamb, and the Hebrew term kadash, chaste), It is called agnus, from the down on its surface, which resembles that upon a lamb's skin; and castus, because the chaste matrons at the feast of Ceres strewed them upon their beds and lay upon them. The chaste tree, -vitex agnus castus Lin. Sp. Pi. 890. The qualities of this seed do not support its name or use. The smell is foetid, the taste warm. It is not now used in medicine.

Agnus scythicus. The Scythian lamb, called also in the Scythian language, barametz, i. e. lamb, or baro-meiz, or baronetz. This sort of plant is said to be found in Tartary, Russia, etc. and is described as growing in the resemblance of a lamb. In fact, however, it is the root of a fern, covered with a whitish down, which the Tartars trim so as to represent a lamb, and sell it for a vegetating parasite animal. It would be endless to recount the ridiculous stories told of this animal plant; nor is it a part of our subject. The fern is the poly-podium barometz of Loueiro; the dictisoma cu/cita of Heritier. Sertum Anglic. Pi. 43.