Lab
Library
Journal
Shop
Sign in
to keep
Share image
1
271
The Folk-lore of Plants
·
T. F. Thiselton-Dyer
155
The
olive
indicates
peace,
and
as
an
emblem
was
given
to
Judith
when
she
restored
peace
to
the
Israelites
by
the
death
of
Holofernes.[3]
Shakespeare,
in
"Twelfth
Night"
(Act
i.
sc.
5),
makes
Viola
say:--"I
bring
no
overture
of
war,
no
taxation
of
homage;
I
hold
the
olive
in
my
hand;
my
words
are
as
full
of
peace
as
of
matter."
Similarly,
the
palm,
which,
as
the
symbol
of
victory,
was
carried
before
the
conqueror
in
triumphal
processions,
is
generally
regarded
as
denoting
victory.
Thus,
palm-branches
were
scattered
in
the
path
of
Christ
upon
His
public
entry
into
Jerusalem;
and,
at
the
present
day,
a
palm-branch
is
embroidered
on
the
lappet
of
the
gown
of
a
French
professor,
to
indicate
that
a
University
degree
has
been
attained.[4]
Some
flowers
have
become
emblematical
from
their
curious
characteristics.
Thus,
the
balsam
is
held
to
be
expressive
of
impatience,
because
its
seed-pods
when
ripe
curl
up
at
the
slightest
touch,
and
dart
forth
their
seeds,
with
great
violence;
hence
one
of
its
popular
names,
"touch-me-not."
The
wild
anemone
has
been
considered
indicative
of
brevity,
because
its
fragile
blossom
is
so
quickly
scattered
to
the
wind
and
lost:--
"The
winds
forbid
the
flowers
to
flourish
long,
Which
owe
to
winds
their
name
in
Grecian
song."
The
poppy,
from
its
somniferous
effects,
has
been
made
symbolic
of
sleep
and
oblivion;
hence
Virgil
calls
it
the
Lethean
poppy,
whilst
our
old
pastoral
poet,
William
Browne,
speaks
of
it
as
"sleep-bringing
poppy."
The
heliotrope
denotes
devoted
attachment,
from
its
having
been
supposed
to
turn
continually
towards
the
sun;
hence
its
name,
signifying
the
sun
and
to
turn.
The
classic
heliotrope
must
not
be
confounded
with
the
well-known
Peruvian
heliotrope
or
"cherry-pie,"
a
plant
with
small
lilac-blue
blossoms
of
a
delicious
fragrance.
It
would
seem
that
many
of
the
flowers
which
had
the
reputation
of
opening
and
shutting
at
the
sun's
bidding
were
known
as
heliotropes,
or
sunflowers,
or
turnesol.
Shakespeare
alludes
to
the,
Marker
Marker
Fine marker
White-out
Fine white-out
Circle
Paint
Unmarker
Hand
Scalpel
Dice
Sieve
Purify
Undo
Redo
Start over
