Quaking Grass: From the Plant and Flower Alphabet
GRANITE BAY DESIGN PLANT & FLOWER ALPHABET
Briza is a genus of annual and perennial plants in the grass family, native to northern temperate regions of Eurasia, North Africa, and certain islands in the Atlantic. The group is generally referred to as the quaking grasses because the flowers and seedheads shake on their stalks in the slightest breeze. Some of its members are grown as ornamental plants.
In certain Scottish folklore, a patch of briza, dawdle, or quaking grass indicated the location’s previous use in fairy dancing (similar to a fairy ring). The passerby who walks through the tainted grass was said to come down with an immediate drowsiness, worsening to the point of death. Through the action of cursing the victim, quaking grass is similar to hungry grass, both falling under the category of fairy grass.
Engravings from “Handbook of Plant and Floral Ornament from Early Herbals” by Richard G. Hatton (Originally published in 1909).
Plant descriptions primarily from Wikipedia.
