RELIGION IN THE PLANT WORLD 
nooks, uncontaminated by the tread of man.” 
The Narcissus and Maiden-Hair Fern were 
under the special protection of Proserpina and 
to Ceres belonged the Willow. The Pink was 
Jove’s flower, while Juno claimed the Lily, 
Crocus and Asphodel. 
The life of Christ flings a bright and illum- 
inating ray of light over the whole vegetable 
world. Trees and flowers which have heretofore 
been associated with various heathen rites now 
become connected with holier names and are 
frequently made a part of the crucifixion itself. 
Hosts of flowers are dedicated to the Virgin 
Mary, particularly white ones, which are taken 
to be emblematic of her purity. Christian wor- 
shippers even went to theclassic Juno and Diana, 
to the Scandinavian Freyja and Bertha, to obtain 
flowers to dedicate to her. The Passion Flower 
was often taken to represent various incidents 
connected with the crucifixion. 
Though the Rose and the Lily are the blos- 
soms which are most frequently associated with 
the Virgin, particularly in paintings, there is 
an endless list of other flowers of low and high 
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