Forms: 5–6 endyve, (5 endywe), 6–7 endiue, 6– endive. [a. Fr. endive Pr., Sp. and It. endivia:—late L. *intybea adj. fem. f. intibus (intubus, intybus, -um). A late Gr. ἔντυβον (10th c.) is prob. ad. L.)] The name of two species of Chicory (Cichorium, N.O. Compositæ).
a. C. Intybus, now called Wild Endive, Succory, or Chicory, indigenous in Europe, and common in a wild state in many parts of England. b. In mod. use chiefly applied to C. Endivia, alleged by some writers to have been imported into Europe from China in the 16th c. Of this there are two varieties, the Batavian or broad-leaved, formerly called also Scariole, and that with a curled or frizzled leaf, which is commonly blanched for use as salad, etc.
Both species have pale blue flowers; the ‘blue endive’ of the poets is C. Intybus.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 140. Endyve, herbe, endivia.
1533. Elyot, Cast. Helthe (1541), 28 b. Endyve and Scariole be moche like in their operation to Cykorie.
1597. Gerard, Herbal, II. xxvii. § 4. Curled Endive hath leaues not vnlike to those of the curled or Cabbage Lettuce.
1655. Culpepper, Riverius, I. I. 21. But in Summer we can allow a moderate use of Herbs … as Endive, Succory, Sorrel.
1710. Philips, Pastorals, iv. 8. Daisies white and Endive blue.
1720. Gay, Poems (1745), I. 113. Upon her grave the rosemary they threw The daisy, butter-flower and endive blue.
1832. Veg. Subst. Food, 302. Endive … cultivated, if not found wild, in China and Japan.
1882. Garden, 28 Jan., 62/3. Endive, both curled and Batavian, must be got into cold frames and blanched as required for use.
