38 PLANT NAMES 



FANCY 



We may take as another class of names those which 

 contain some pretty fancy, or which express the 

 dehght which flowers inspired in lovers of fields and 

 gardens. Many of these need no explanation, such 

 as Buttercup, Kingcup, Snowdrop, Eyehright, Blue- 

 hell, Lady^s Smock, Lady'^s Mantle, Traveller's Joy, 

 Forget-me-not, Heart's Ease, Pansy (from the French 

 pensee, a thought; Ophelia said, " There's Pansies, 

 they're for thoughts "), Sweet William, Morning 

 Glory, Sunflower, Speedwell, Maiden Hair, Honesty, 

 Thrift, Aaron's Rod, Solomon's Seal, Star of Beth- 

 lehem, Venus' Looking-glass, and a host of others. 

 Marigold is the gold fit for the Blessed Virgin, and 

 so Clematis is in some parts called Virgin's Bower. 

 Iris is the rainbow (corrupted into Orris), which also 

 suggested a name for the beautiful circles in our 

 eyes. Daisy is the day's eye or the sun, and Bellis, 

 its botanical name, means beautiful. How aptly 

 Monk's Hood describes its flower ! Philadelphus 

 means brotherly kindness, and Agapanthus the 

 flower of love. What beautiful names ! Aster is 

 a star (so " astronomy," or the laws of the stars) 

 Nightshade was thought to be a poisonous plant, 

 " loving darkness rather than light, because its deeds 

 are evil." In the bloom of Passi flora, or the Passion 

 Flower, the pious imagination of our forefathers 



