ADONIS FLOWER 143 



in our own garden was the upspringing of the 

 Adonis-flower the Adonis autumnalis one of the 

 most beautiful of the many striking plants that, 

 like the deep blue cornflower, the brilliant yellow 

 marigold, the poppy of intensest scarlet, adorn the 

 fields of ripening corn. We had never seen it in 

 the district before, as it is a very local and by no 

 means common plant. The petals are of a brilliant 

 and deep crimson, forming a cup-like corolla, while 

 the foliage is very finely divided and very rich in 

 character. This rich crimson of the flower, with 

 its darker centre, has given meaning to the alterna- 

 tive name of the plant the pheasant's-eye. Gerard 

 tells us how he saw the plant growing, to his 

 delight, amongst the corn in the west of England, 

 and "from thence I brought the seed and have 

 sowen it in my garden for the beauty of the flower's 

 sake." The Adonis-flower derives its name from 

 the legend that tells how the favourite of the 

 goddess Venus received a mortal wound from a 

 wild boar and, according to classic lore, was 

 changed into the memorial flower r that still bears 



1 a When the flower was shed, 



A flower began to rear its purple head." 



OVID. 



" In his blood, that on the ground lay spill'd, 

 A purple flower sprang up." 



SHAKESPEARE. 



Despite two such authorities, the flower is not purple at all, 

 but rich crimson, 



