CALENDULA TRAGUS. -BENDING-STALKED MARYGOLD. 
Class XV. SYNGENESIA.— Order IV. POLYGAMIA NECESSARIA. 
Natural Order, CORYMBIFERJ1. 
The derivation of Calendula is uncertain: some say it is from the Calends. In English the old name for 
these flowers is Golds, or Rudds. Golds, or Gouldes, is a name given by the country people to a variety 
of yellow flowers; and the name of the Virgin Mary has been added to many plants which were anciently, 
for their beauty, named after Venus, of which the Marygold is one : Costmary, the Virgin Mary’s Costus, 
is another. The French name it souci du jardin [garden marygold] ; in Provence they call it gauche fer 
[left hand iron] ; perhaps from its round form, like a shield which is borne on the left arm, in contra- 
distinction to the sword, used in the right. The Italians call it calendula ortense, cappuccina, fiorrancio, 
a corruption of fiore arancio (orange flower) and fiore d’ogni mese, or flower of every month; which latter 
name gives countenance to the derivation of Calendula from the Calends. 
This species of Marygold, a plant not uncommon in our collections of greenhouse plants, is a native 
of the Cape, and was introduced by Mr. Masson in 1774- It flowers in May and June, and is raised with 
facility from cuttings. 
The Field Marygold is a native of most parts of Europe, and differs but little from the Garden Mary- 
gold, except in being altogether smaller. 
The Garden Marygold grows naturally in the vineyards of France, the cornfields of Italy, and the 
orchards, fields, and gardens of Silesia. It was esteemed for its dazzling splendour long before its uses 
were discovered : it is a common ingredient in soups ; and is said, as the old authors express it, “ greatly 
to comfort the heart and the spirits.” It has also been recommended as a medicine, but has not obtained 
much reputation in this way. Formerly it was considered as a wholesome ingredient in salads, but there 
is an acrimony in the whole plant which has even caused it to be commended as a destroyer of warts. In- 
fused in vinegar, the Marygold is supposed to prevent infection, even that of the plague itself ; and, so 
infused, both the leaves and flowers are found a powerful sudorific. It is, however, very probable that the 
efficacy of the infusion, in cases of infection, is more in the vinegar than in the flower infused in it. It has 
been asserted that the sting of a wasp, or a bee, is effectually cured by rubbing the part affected with a 
Marygold-flower. 
Linnaeus has observed, that the Marygold is usually open from nine in the morning to three in the 
afternoon. The circumstance attracted early notice, and on this account the plant has been termed soli - 
sequa (Sun -follower); and solis sponsa, Spouse of the Sun. 
There is an allusion to this daily closing of the Marygold in the poems of Chatterton: 
“ The mary-bud.de that shutteth with the light.” 
Another in the Pastorals of W. Browne : 
“ But, maiden, see the day is waxen olde, 
And ’gins to shut in with the marygold.” 
And a most beautiful one in Shakspeare’s Winter’s Tale: 
“ The marygold, that goes to bed with the sun, 
And with him rises weeping.” 
And again in Cymbeline : 
“ Hark ! hark! the lark at heaven’s gate sings, 
And Phoebus ’gins arise, 
His steeds to water at those springs 
On chaliced flowers that lies. 
And winking marybuds begin 
To ope their golden eyes ; 
With every thing that pretty bin, 
My lady sweet arise.” 
Chaucer compares the effect of joy upon a person in sorrow to that of the morning sun upon these 
very sun-loving flowers : 
“But right as floures through the colde night 
Inclosed stoupen in her stalke lowe, 
Redressen hem ayen the sunne bright 
And spreden in hir kindlie by rowe; 
Right so began his eyen up to throwe 
This Troilus.” 
Shakspeare says of a beautiful woman sleeping: 
“ Her eyes like marygolds had sheathed their light, 
And canopied in darkness sweetly lay, 
Till they might open to adorn the day,” 
