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271
The Folk-lore of Plants
·
T. F. Thiselton-Dyer
206
CHAPTER
XIX.
SACRED
PLANTS.
Closely
allied
with
plant-worship
is
the
sacred
and
superstitious
reverence
which,
from
time
immemorial,
has
been
paid
by
various
communities
to
certain
trees
and
plants.
In
many
cases
this
sanctity
originated
in
the
olden
heathen
mythology,
when
"every
flower
was
the
emblem
of
a
god;
every
tree
the
abode
of
a
nymph."
From
their
association,
too,
with
certain
events,
plants
frequently
acquired
a
sacred
character,
and
occasionally
their
specific
virtues
enhanced
their
veneration.
In
short,
the
large
number
of
sacred
plants
found
in
different
countries
must
be
attributed
to
a
variety
of
causes,
illustrations
of
which
are
given
in
the
present
chapter.
Thus
going
back
to
mythological
times,
it
may
be
noticed
that
trees
into
which
persons
were
metamorphosed
became
sacred.
The
laurel
was
sacred
to
Apollo
in
memory
of
Daphne,
into
which
tree
she
was
changed
when
escaping
from
his
advances:--
"Because
thou
canst
not
be
My
mistress,
I
espouse
thee
for
my
tree;
Be
thou
the
prize
of
honour
and
renown,
The
deathless
poet
and
the
poet's
crown;
Thou
shalt
the
Roman
festivals
adorn,
And,
after
poets,
be
by
victors
won."
But
it
is
unnecessary
to
give
further
instances
of
such
familiar
stories,
of
which
early
history
is
full.
At
the
same
time
it
is
noteworthy
that
many
of
these
plants
which
acquired
a
sanctity
from
heathen
mythology
still
retain
their
sacred
character--a
fact
which
has
invested
them
with
various
superstitions,
in
addition
to
having
caused
them
to
be
selected
for
ceremonial
usage
and
homage
in
modern
times.
Thus
the
pine,
with
its
mythical
origin
and
heathen
associations,
is
an
important
tree
on
the
Continent,
being
surrounded
with
a
host
of
legends,
most
of
which,
in
one
shape
or
another,
are
relics
of
early
forms
of
belief.
The
sacred
character
of
the
oak
still
survives
in
modern
folk-lore,
and
a
host
of
flowers
which
grace
our
fields
and
hedges
have
sacred
associations
from
their
connection
with
the
heathen
gods
of
old.
Thus
the
anemone,
poppy,
and
violet
were
dedicated
to
Venus;
and
to
Diana
"all
flowers
growing
in
untrodden
dells
and
shady
nooks,
uncontaminated
by
the
tread
of
man,
more
especially
belonged."
The
narcissus
and
maidenhair
were
sacred
to
Proserpina,
and
the
willow
to
Ceres.
The
pink
is
Jove's
flower,
and
of
the
flowers
assigned
to
Juno
may
be
mentioned
the
lily,
crocus,
and
asphodel.
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