We are grateful to Linda Robinson, of Melmerby, Cumbria (the Botanical Society of Britain & Ireland’s recorder for Northwest Yorkshire), for the following note:

‘My friend Bob called flowers (in general) pissy bells.  I berated him thinking he was being very rude, but he assured me that’s what his mum and dad and grandparents called flowers.                                                                                       Got me thinking it might be referring to dandelions [Taraxacum] originally being used as a diuretic.  Bit like the French name for dandelion and used in the old Cumbrian dialect.  Can’t say I had come across it before and my father’s family were Cumbrian, but since then other local dialect speakers have told me their parents and grandparents use the term.’

Comments, etc., would be much appreciated; please send them to roy@plant-lore.com