The House Leek (_Sempervivum tectorum_), or "never dying" flower of our cottage roofs, which is commonly known also as Stone-crop, grows plentifully on walls and the tops of small buildings throughout Great Britain, in all country districts. It is distinguished by its compact rose-shaped arrangement of seagreen succulent leaves lying sessile in a somewhat flattened manner, and by its popularity among country folk on account of these bland juicy leaves, and its reputed protective virtues. It possesses a remarkable tenacity of life, _quem sempervivam dicunt quoniam omni tempore viret_, this being in allusion to its prolonged vitality; for which reason it is likewise called Ayegreen, and Sengreen (_semper_, green). History relates that a botanist tried hard for eighteen months to dry a plant of the House Leek for his herbarium, but failed in this object. He afterwards restored it to its first site when it grew again as if nothing had interfered with its ordinary life. [274] The plant was dedicated of old to Thor, or Jupiter, and sometimes to the Devil. It bore the titles of Thor's beard, Jupiter's eye, Joubarb, and Jupiter's beard, from its massive inflorescence which resembles the sculptured beard of Jove; though a more recent designation is St. George's beard. "Quem sempervivam dicunt quoniam viret omni Tempore--'Barba Jovis' vulgari more vocatur, Esse refert similem predictoe Plinius istam." _Macer_. The Romans took great pleasure in the House Leek, and grew it in vases set before the windows of their houses. They termed it _Buphthalmon_, _Zoophthalmon_, and _Stergethron_, as one of the love medicines; it being further called _Hypogeson_, from growing under the eaves; likewise _Ambrosia_ and _Ameramnos_. The plant is indigenous to the Greek Islands, being sometimes spoken of as "Imbreke" and "Home Wort." It has been largely planted about the roofs of small houses throughout the country, particularly in Scotland, because supposed to guard against lightning and thunderstorms; likewise as protective against the enchantments of sorcerers; and, in a more utilitarian spirit, as preservative against decay. Hence the House Leek is known as Thunderbeard, and in Germany _Donnersbart_ or _Donderbloem_, from "Jupiter the thunderer." The English name House Leek denotes _leac_ (Anglo-Saxon) a plant growing on the house; and another appellation of its genus, sedum, comes from the Latin _sedare_, to soothe, and subdue inflammations, etc. The thick leaves contain an abundant acidulous astringent juice, which is mucilaginous, and affords malic acid, identical with that of the Apple. This juice, in a dose of from one to three drams, has proved [275] useful in dysentery, and in some convulsive diseases. Galen extolled it as a capital application for erysipelas and shingles. Dioscorides praised it for weak and inflamed eyes, but in large doses it is emetic and purgative.