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Table 3 The characteristics of the black elder entrenched in its names

From: From the name to the popular image of the plant: the Polish names for the black elder (Sambucus nigra)

Characteristics of the plant

Names

Appearance of the shrub:

Flower colour

Fruit colour

Fruit shape

dziki biały bez, biały bez, biały best

czarny bez

baranie jaja

Characteristics of the fruit

psi bez, psi best, psiuch

Smell

bez, bez śmierdzący, best śmierdzący, śmierdziel, smrodzina, smrodynia, trzemcha, kocierbina

Place of growth

dziki bez, leśny bez, bez polny

Harvest time

świętojanny best

Medicinal use

bez lekarski, bez apteczny, bez podlewany

The association of the plant with impure forces and diseases

bez, diabli bez, gościec