Herb. [From the prevalence of the species Melampyrum arvense in wheat fields, where its black seeds are apt to be mixed with the grain: hence Gr. μελάμπῡρον ‘black wheat’; the Eng. name answers to med.L. triticum vaccinum or bovinum, Fr. blé de vache, Ger. kuhweizen, in 16th c. kuweyssen (Dodoens), Du. koeweyte (Kilian): cf. COW sb.1 9.]

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  1.  A plant, Melampyrum arvense, N. O. Scrophulariaceæ, which grows in corn-fields in the E. and S. of England, and in the Isle of Wight. Sometimes distinguished from other species as Purple Cow-wheat.

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1578.  Lyte, Dodoens, II. xiv. 163. Horse floure, or Cowe wheate … hath a straight stemme.

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1597.  Gerarde, Herbal, I. lxviii. 91. The seed of cow wheat raiseth up fumes.

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  2.  Extended as a book-name to the other species of Melampyrum, as Crested Cow-wheat (M. cristatum), Meadow Cow-wheat (M. pratense), Wood Cow-wheat (M. sylvaticum).

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1597.  Gerarde, Herbal, I. lxix. 91. Red leafed wild Cow wheat.

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1756.  Sir J. Hill, Herbal, 123. Cow-wheat, Melampyrum. The flower consists of a single petal, and approaches to the labiated shape.

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1854.  S. Thomson, Wild Fl., III. (ed. 4), 223. We can scarce miss the yellow corollas of the Melampyrum pratense, or common cow-wheat.

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  3.  Locally applied to the Yellow Rattle, Rhinanthus Crista-galli.

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  So in S. W. Cumberland (Britten and Holland).

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