The Scottish Naturalist. 6g 



• 



Christ's Thorn (Poliurus aculeatus), a prickly shrub found in 

 Palestine. So named from a tradition that the Jews made the 

 Crown of Thorns from its twigs. 



Nearly every saint in the Church Calendar had a flower dedi- 

 cated to him, as the Crocus to St. Valentine, and the Lady's 

 Smock, to the Virgin Mary ; while some plants took their names 

 from Saints — Herb Christopher, St. John's Wort, St. Barnaby's 

 Thistle, &x. 



The Carob-trce (Cerato/iia siliqud), a native of Palestine, pro- 

 duces pods which are formed into a pulp and thus used as a food, 

 supposed to have been part of the meagre fare of John the Baptist, 

 and so called St. John's Bread. 



But Satan's popularity was greater than that of any of the Saints, 

 if the number of plants to which his name is attached be a test of 

 it, especially in Scotland, where there has always been a sneaking 

 fondness for "the de'il, puir chiel." We have the 



wDeil's Bit (Scabiosa succisa), which seems to have a bit bitten 

 off its root, of course by the devil. 



Deii's Dung (Asafostida), so called from its stench (German, 

 DuyveVs Dieck — devil's dirt). 



DeiVs Snuff-Box, the common Puff-Ball, a fungus full of dust. 



DeiVs Spoons, the Great Water Plantain. The French call Bryony 

 Navet du diabie, or Devil's Turnip, on account of its bitter root. 



III. The third head comprises names taken from the places 

 from which plants are believed to have originally come, or the 

 ]3laces to which they are most partial. 



ist. From places of origin — 



The Cherry and the Chestnut were named Cerasos and Castana 

 by the Greeks, after two places in Pontus, Asia Minor ; and our 

 names of these fruits are derived from the Greek names. 



The Gean or Wild Cherry (Primus avium), come first from 

 Guyenne, France (French name, guigne) t probably brought by 

 French nobles to Scotland by way of gift. 



The almost imperishable Cypress-tree (Cuftressus sempervirens), 

 of which the walls of Constantinople were made, and which lasted 

 noo years, owes its name to the Island of Cyprus, which also 

 gives its name to copper. 



Rhubarb, Greek prjov (Zapjietpov, or 11 or Volga plant, growing near 

 that river, called by the Greeks (Rha) 'Pa. 



Medick clover, Greek prfixf,, or Median grass, growing in Media. 



Dittany, Greek oU-uu^o;, from Mount Dicte in Crete, where it 

 abounded. 



The Currant came from Corinth ; the Damson from Damascus. 



