PHYTOLOGY. 



PLANT NAMES. 

 By Wm. DURIE 

 Part III. 



yjj T^HE seventh division contains names applied on account 

 J- of resemblances of plants to other objects. This is a 

 very obvious device by which names would be provided ; and we 

 accordingly find that a vast number of plants owe not only their 

 popular but also their scientific names to the operation of this 

 mode of naming. From resemblances to men and women and 

 their dress, we have : — 



Bloody-meiis fingers {Orchis metadata), a Cheshire name, from the 



marks on the leaves like the impression of bloody fingers. 

 Calceolaria, Latin, for " little shoe," which its flower is like. 

 Carl-doddies (Flantago lanceolata), means bald heads. 



Columbine, called also Folly's flower, from its resemblance to a 



fool's cap. 

 Date, contraction for Greek ldxrvXa$, a finger. 



Fox-glove, for folk's glove, meaning fairy-glove, which is the literal 

 meaning of its popular Welsh name also. 



Hand-tree (Cheirosiemon platanoides), from the five anthers of its 



flower being arranged like the fingers of a human hand. 

 Lady's fingers. The Kidney Vetch. 



Monkshood (Aconite), from the resemblance of the upper sepal to 



a clerical head-dress. 

 Orchis, Greek for testicle, in allusion to the shape of its root. 



Roncevalles pears, from their great size, akin to the gigantic bones 



found at Roncevalles. 

 Tulip, Turk' s-cap lily, both named from an Oriental head-dress. 



Resemblances to the lower animals are preserved in such 

 names as, 



Cocoa (Portuguese coco, skull), from the monkey-like face at the 

 the base of the nut. 



Bee orchis, and Butterfly orchis, orchids (Ophrys apifera, and Habe- 

 naria chlorantha) resembling these insects. 



Crow" s feet (Ranun. aquatilis) ; Craw-dulse ( Fucus ciliatus) ; Craiu- 

 taes (Ranun. acris) ; all named after crow's feet. 



