Lab
Library
Journal
Shop
Sign in
to keep
Share image
1
271
The Folk-lore of Plants
·
T. F. Thiselton-Dyer
141
At
the
outset,
it
is
noteworthy
that
our
English
plant
names
can
boast
of
a
very
extensive
parentage,
being,
"derived
from
many
languages--Latin,
Greek,
ancient
British,
Anglo-Saxon,
Norman,
Low
German,
Swedish,
Danish,
Arabic,
Persian."[2]
It
is
not
surprising,
therefore,
that
in
many
cases
much
confusion
has
arisen
in
unravelling
their
meaning,
which
in
the
course
of
years
would
naturally
become
more
or
less
modified
by
a
succession
of
influences
such
as
the
intercommunication
and
change
of
ideas
between
one
country
and
another.
On
the
other
hand,
numerous
plant
names
clearly
display
their
origin,
the
lapse
of
years
having
left
these
unaffected,
a
circumstance
which
is
especially
true
in
the
case
of
Greek
and
Latin
names.
Names
of
French
origin
are
frequently
equally
distinct,
a
familiar
instance
being
dandelion,
from
the
French
dent-de-lion,
"lion's
tooth,"
although
the
reason
for
its
being
so
called
is
by
no
means
evident.
At
the
same
time,
it
is
noticeable
that
in
nearly
every
European
language
the
plant
bears
a
similar
name;
whereas
Professor
De
Gubernatis
connects
the
name
with
the
sun
(Helios),
and
adds
that
a
lion
was
the
animal
symbol
of
the
sun,
and
that
all
plants
named
after
him
are
essentially
plants
of
the
sun.[3]
One
of
the
popular
names
of
the
St.
John's
wort
is
tutsan,
a
corruption
of
the
French
toute
saine,
so
called
from
its
healing
properties,
and
the
mignonette
is
another
familiar
instance.
Marker
Marker
Fine marker
White-out
Fine white-out
Circle
Paint
Unmarker
Hand
Scalpel
Dice
Sieve
Purify
Undo
Redo
Start over
