HISTORY OF SWEET WILLIAM 5 



the generation of Plants." In illustration he alludes to 

 the Tulip, "The Triumph of Europe," from which Mr. 

 S. Trawell saved seed. " It has a particular manner 

 of flowering, very different from many other curious 

 Tulips, as the seedlings partake of them all." This 

 is suspiciously suggestive of intercrossing by insects. 



The Sweet William 



This species was named DiantJius barbatus by 

 Linnaeus, from the bearded character of the petals. 

 It was known in the sixteenth century as Lychnis 

 inonachoruvi hortensis and Ca^yophyllus Carthiisianoruin, 

 these names showing that it was probably introduced 

 by the Carthusian monks, who came to England 

 somewhere about the twelfth century. The name 

 " William " appears to have been a corruption from 

 the French " OEillet," from Ocellus, "little eye." 



Some varieties with narrow leaves were called 

 " Sweete lohns." Gerarde describes them under the 

 names Armeria alba and y^. rubra. Like the Carnation, 

 the Sweet William soon formed many varieties, so 

 that Tournefort, after describing several special 

 varieties, adds, " There are infinite varieties of this 

 species, which you may find in Parkinson and other 

 authors who have written of flowers" (1730). 



The Pink 



This is Linnaeus' DiantJius pluniarius. Early names 

 were Caryophyllus sylvestris, VetojiiccB secundum genus 

 (Dodoens) ; in French, Des Armoiries. In the shops 



