ROSEBAY WILLOW HERB. 231 



should be made subservient to the pleasure- 

 grounds, and we must here observe, that the 

 beautifying of our landscapes by floral assistance 

 has been hitherto but little regarded. 



The generic name of this plant is derived from 

 the Greek stti t^o^ou lov, v^hich expresses a violet 

 upon a pod, for the reddish violet-coloured flower 

 is seated in a singular manner on the extremity 

 of a long pod of the same colour, and it is re- 

 garded as a rare instance of the name expressing 

 an essential character of the plant. 



It is called Willow Herb, from the resem- 

 blance which its leaves bear to those of the Salix 

 or Willow, and French Willow, we presume, 

 from its being originally brought from that coun- 

 try ; for, although it is now generally considered 

 to be indigenous to this island, we have con- 

 siderable doubts about claiming it as an abori- 

 ginal of our soil. 



Parkinson describes this plant, in the year 

 1629, under the title of Chamccneriuui Flore Del- 

 phinii, the Willow-flower ; and he observes, 

 '' We have not known where this Willow-flower 

 groweth naturally, but we have it standing in an 

 out corner of our gardens to fifl up the number of 

 delightful flowers." 



It was very natural to consider this flower to 

 have belonged to the family of Delphinium, 



