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THE FLOWER LANGUAGE. 
Prohibition for Privet, since the Privet or Prim has been 
always used for hedges. 
Often the mode of growth of a plant, or, the shape of 
its leaves or flowers, or, the color or some quality which 
it possesses, determines its signification. 
As a rule, plants with poisonous properties are expres¬ 
sive of bad qualities or sentiments, for example : Helle¬ 
bore, scandal; Blue Lobelia, malevolence; Aconitum 
napellus, an enemy in disguise ; American Laurel, false¬ 
hood, treachery, &c.; this rule, however, is not invariable 
and the converse of it is by no means true. 
Sometimes, when a plant is named after a person, some 
strong characteristic of the person is applied to the plant, 
as in the case of Rondeletia. This plant was named in 
memory of Wm. Rondelet, a scientific physician of the 
16th century, who disgustingly evinced his devotion to 
anatomy by dissecting the body of his own son after death. 
From what has been said, it is evident that the formation 
of the flower language has been gradual—a growth like 
spoken languages of all nations, not an arbitrary investi- 
tuie. In its growth, like spoken languages, too, it has 
been slow at times and at others when unusual attention 
and interest have been concentrated upon it, it has in¬ 
creased with greater rapidity. 
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