135 



ROSEMARY.— ROSMARINUS. 



Natural order, Verticillatce. A genus of the 

 Diandria Monogynia class. 



The Greeks named this plant A/£o#wns, 

 from the perfume being similar to frankin- 

 cense, which they called A&avos, 



In Latin it was called Rosmarinus and 

 Rosmarinum. 



{< 



That seas incessant lave, 



Loosed from its hold and floating o'er the wave, 

 Clung to the cliff; when, lo ! the barren earth, 

 Which scarce sufficed to give the rosemary birth/' 



Delille's Homme des Champs. 



The Latins also called it Rosmarinum co- 

 ronarium, because it was used for making 

 crowns and garlands for the head. 



The English name is a corruption of the 

 Latin word, and not derived, as has been 

 supposed, from the Virgin and the flower, as 

 noticed by Gay, who asks in his burlesque 

 pastoral : 



" What flower is that which royal honour craves, 

 Adjoin the Virgin, and 'tis strown on graves?" 



