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271
The Folk-lore of Plants
·
T. F. Thiselton-Dyer
142
The
flower-de-luce,
one
of
the
names
probably
of
the
iris,
is
derived
from
fleur
de
Louis,
from
its
having
been
assumed
as
his
device
by
Louis
VII.
of
France.
It
has
undergone
various
changes,
having
been
in
all
probability
contracted
into
fleur-de-luce,
and
finally
into
fleur-de-lys
or
fleur-de-lis.
An
immense
deal
of
discussion
has
been
devoted
to
the
history
of
this
name,
and
a
great
many
curious
theories
proposed
in
explanation
of
it,
some
being
of
opinion
that
the
lily
and
not
the
iris
is
referred
to.
But
the
weight
of
evidence
seem
to
favour
the
iris
theory,
this
plant
having
been
undoubtedly
famous
in
French
history.
Once
more,
by
some,[4]
the
name
fleur-de-lys
has
been
derived
from
Löys,
in
which
manner
the
twelve
first
Louis
signed
their
names,
and
which
was
easily
contracted
into
Lys.
Some
consider
it
means
the
flower
that
grows
on
the
banks
of
the
river
Lis,
which
separated
France
and
Artois
from
Flanders.
Turning
to
the
literature
of
the
past,
Shakespeare
has
several
allusions
to
the
plant,
as
in
"I
Henry
VI,"
where
a
messenger
enters
and
exclaims:--
"Awake,
awake,
English
nobility!
Let
not
sloth
dim
your
honours
new
begot;
Cropp'd
are
the
flower-de-luces
in
your
arms;
Of
England's
coat
one
half
is
cut
away."
Spenser
mentions
the
plant,
and
distinguishes
it
from
the
lily:--
"Show
mee
the
grounde
with
daifadown-dillies,
And
cowslips,
and
kingcups,
and
loved
lillies;
The
pretty
pawnee,
And
the
cherisaunce,
Shall
march
with
the
fayre
flowre
delice."
Another
instance
is
the
mignonette
of
our
French
neighbours,
known
also
as
the
"love-flower."
One
of
the
names
of
the
deadly
nightshade
is
belladonna
which
reminds
us
of
its
Italian
appellation,
and
"several
of
our
commonest
plant
names
are
obtained
from
the
Low
German
or
Dutch,
as,
for
instance,
buckwheat
(Polygonum
fagopyrum),
from
the
Dutch
bockweit."
The
rowan-tree
(Pyrus
aucuparia)
comes
from
the
Danish
röun,
Swedish
rünn,
which,
as
Dr.
Prior
remarks,
is
traceable
to
the
"old
Norse
runa,
a
charm,
from
its
being
supposed
to
have
power
to
avert
evil."
Similarly,
the
adder's
tongue
(Ophioglossum
vulgatum)
is
said
to
be
from
the
Dutch
adder-stong,
and
the
word
hawthorn
is
found
in
the
various
German
dialects.
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