452 FREAKS OF PLANT LIFE. 



rock was certainly a plant having leaves composed of 

 three leaflets, and as a four-leaved shamrock was 

 supposed to possess magical virtues, it may be as- 

 sumed that it was not common. This would be true 

 also of the wood-sorrel, but it is not true of the white 

 clover, for a leaf possessed of a supplementary leaflet 

 is by no means uncommon. In fact, if one of these 

 two plants is to be regarded as the veritable shamrock,, 

 the evidence is very strongly in favour of the wood- 

 sorrel, notwithstanding the national predilection for 

 the clover. 



The Scotch emblem the thistle, has been the subject 

 of much controversy, both as to its origin and the 

 particular species which is symbolical. The tradition 

 has often been cited which carries its origin back to 

 the time of the Danish invasion. " In a night assault, 

 a bare-footed Dane trod on a thistle, and uttering a 

 cry from the sudden pain, the sleeping Scotch were 

 timeously aroused, and succeeded in defeating the 

 enemy. Henceforth the thistle was elevated to its 

 present distinction." 1 Sir Harris Nicholas traces the 

 badge to James III., for, in an inventory of his jewels, 

 thistles are mentioned as part of the ornaments. 2 



According to Pinkerton, the first authentic mention 

 of the thistle as the badge of Scotland is in Dunbar's 

 poem entitled " The Thrissell and the Rois," written 



1 " Notes and Queries," v., p. 281. 2 Ibid., i., p. 90. 



