Named in Capitulare de villis
Rosemary
Rosmarinus officinalis
What was written
Rosemary is named in the Capitulare de villis, which is a more interesting fact than it first appears: the capitulary was issued for estates across the Frankish empire, much of it well north of the climate rosemary tolerates. The list records what was wanted, not everywhere what would grow.
The plant itself
An evergreen shrub of Mediterranean coasts with needle-like leaves, woody stems and pale blue flowers, intolerant of wet winter soil. Botanists have since moved it into the genus Salvia, though the older name remains in common use.
Still growing
Since the plant was written into that garden list, botanists, herbaria and ordinary observers have recorded finding it 407,567 times. GBIF files Rosmarinus officinalis as a synonym: botanists have since moved the plant to another genus, and the name the herbals used is no longer the current one.
Live count from GBIF, cached for a week.