FLOWERS OF THE SAINTS 141 



of the Assumption; and Michaelmas, Martinmas, 

 and H0I7 Rood, and Christmas have all their 

 appropriate decorations." 



St. Joseph has allotted to him a white campanula, 

 which is known in Bologna as the " Little Staff of 

 St. Joseph." In Tuscany, the name of St. Joseph's 

 Staff is given to the oleander. Legend recounts 

 that St. Joseph possessed originally only an ordinary 

 staff, but that when the angel announced to him 

 that he was to be the husband of the Holy Virgin, 

 he became so radiant with joy that his very staff 

 flowered in his hand. 



Another legend says that St. Joseph's staff 

 blossomed and brought forth lilies. He is always 

 portrayed in statues and pictures with a spray of 

 lilies, emblematic of his chastity. 



St. Benedict's herbs are the avens, the hemlock, 

 and the valerian, which were assigned to him as 

 being antidotes; a legend of St. Benedict relating 

 that upon his blessing a cup of poisoned wine, which 

 a monk had presented to him with evil intention, 

 the glass was immediately broken to pieces. 



St. Christopher has given his name to the royal 

 fern (Osmunda re gaits) ; according to Parkinson, 

 in the sixteenth century this fern always went by the 

 name of " Herb Christopher," or St. Christopher's 

 Herb. The idea probably originated on account 

 of the fern growing along riversides, such as St. 

 Christopher was in the habit of frequenting when 

 he acted as ferry. Hence the connection between 

 the saint of the river and the fern of the river. 



St. George has numerous plants dedicated to him 

 or named after him. In England, his flower is the 

 harebell, but abroad, the paeony is generally named 



