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271
The Folk-lore of Plants
·
T. F. Thiselton-Dyer
212
Of
the
many
other
plants
dedicated
to
the
Virgin
may
be
mentioned
the
snowdrop,
popularly
known
as
the
"fair
maid
of
February,"
opening
its
floweret
at
the
time
of
Candlemas.
According
to
an
old
monkish
tradition
it
blooms
at
this
time,
in
memory
of
the
Virgin
having
taken
the
child
Jesus
to
the
temple,
and
there
presented
her
offering.
A
further
reason
for
the
snowdrop's
association
with
the
Virgin
originated
in
the
custom
of
removing
her
image
from
the
altar
on
the
day
of
the
Purification,
and
strewing
over
the
vacant
place
with
these
emblems
of
purity.
The
bleeding
nun
(Cyclamen
europoeum)
was
consecrated
to
the
Virgin,
and
in
France
the
spearmint
is
termed
"Our
Lady's
mint."
In
Germany
the
costmary
(Costaminta
vulgaris)
is
"Our
Lady's
balsam,"
the
white-flowered
wormwood
the
"smock
of
our
Lady,"
and
in
olden
days
the
iris
or
fleur-de-lis
was
held
peculiarly
sacred.
The
little
pink
is
"lady's
cushion,"
and
the
campanula
is
her
looking-glass.
Then
there
is
"Our
Lady's
comb,"
with
its
long,
fragile
seed-vessels
resembling
the
teeth
of
a
comb,
while
the
cowslip
is
"Our
Lady's
bunch
of
keys."
In
France,
the
digitalis
supplies
her
with
gloves,
and
in
days
gone
by
the
Convallaria
polygonatum
was
the
"Lady's
seal."
According
to
some
old
writers,
the
black
briony
went
by
this
name,
and
Hare
gives
this
explanation:--"'Our
Lady's
seal'
(Sigillum
marioe)
is
among
the
names
of
the
black
briony,
owing
to
the
great
efficacy
of
its
roots
when
spread
in
a
plaster
and
applied
as
it
were
to
heal
up
a
scar
or
bruise."
Formerly
a
species
of
primula
was
known
as
"lady's
candlestick,"
and
a
Wiltshire
nickname
for
the
common
convolvulus
is
"lady's
nightcap,"
Canterbury
bells
in
some
places
supplying
this
need.
The
harebell
is
"lady's
thimble,"
and
the
plant
which
affords
her
a
mantle
is
the
Alchemilla
vulgaris,
with
its
grey-green
leaf
covered
with
a
soft
silky
hair.
This
is
the
Maria
Stakker
of
Iceland,
which
when
placed
under
the
pillow
produces
sleep.
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