Bot. Forms: 6 arssmart, -mert, arsse-smart, arsmert, 7 asmart, 6–9 arsmart, arsesmart. [See quot. 1617.] A name of the plant Water-pepper (Polygonum Hydropiper); also applied by some to the allied species P. Persicaria, called by Gerard ‘Dead Arsemart.’
1551. Turner, Herbal, 133. Arssmert groweth … in watery places.
1572. Mascall, Govt. Cattle (1627), 190. If your saddle doe chafe your horse, take an hearbe called Arsmart, in Latine Parcicaria, stampe it, and lay it to.
1578. Lyte, Dodoens, 632. Arsesmart … is lyke to water Pepper … but it is neither hoat nor sharpe.
1617. Minsheu, Ductor, 544. Arsmart … because if it touch the taile or other bare skinne, it maketh it smart, as often it doth, being laid into the bed greene to kill fleas.
1639. T. de Grey, Compl. Horsem., 83. Take the leaves of Arsmart.
1747. Wesley, Princ. Physic (1765), 78. Drink … of Decoction of Arsesmart.
1784. J. Twamley, Dairying Exempl., 113. Arsmart, or lakeweed, is a bitter plant.
1878. Britten & Holl., Plant-n., Arsesmart.
