112 FLORA HISTORICA. 



buds before they are expanded are thought to 

 resemble that fish. In the natural single state 

 of this flower the outer petals form a kind of 

 horn-shaped nectary at the back of the corolla, 

 which is similar to the spur of the Lark's-foot, 

 hence the name of Larkspur and Lark's-heel in 

 English, and Pied-d'alotiette in French ; in the 

 latter language it is also called Eperon cle cheva- 

 lier, Knight's-spur, which corresponds with the 

 Italian name of sperone di cavaliere. The Italians 

 also honour it by the name of fior regio, King- 

 flower. 



Gerard mentions the Larkspur amongst the 

 flowers which were cultivated in the reign of 

 Queen Elizabeth, but he does not seem to have 

 been acquainted with this flower in its double 

 state, for it was not until about the beginning of 

 the seventeenth century that double flowers were 

 so eagerly sought after, and it appears to have 

 been about that period when the florimania raged 

 to such an excess amongst the Dutch, that the 

 Larkspur had its petals multiplied to the exclu- 

 sion of its spur, as we find it noticed by Parkin- 

 son, in 1629, who speaks of the great varieties 

 of colours in these double flowers, and who no- 

 tices the loss of the spur when the petals become 

 double. On this account the double varieties 

 should be called after the generic name only, as 



