primeval forests of India, and among the multitudinous instances of
names traceable to far-off countries may be mentioned the lilac and tulip
from Persia, the latter being derived from thoulyban, the word used in
Persia for a turban. Lilac is equivalent to lilag, a Persian word signifying
flower, having been introduced into Europe from that country early in
the sixteenth century by Busbeck, a German traveller. But illustrations of
this land are sufficient to show from how many countries our plant
names have been brought, and how by degrees they have become
interwoven into our own language, their pronunciation being Anglicised
by English speakers.
Many plants, again, have been called in memory of leading characters
in days gone by, and after those who discovered their whereabouts and
introduced them into European countries. Thus the fuchsia, a native of
Chili, was named after Leonard Fuchs, a well-known German botanist,
and the magnolia was so called in honour of Pierre Magnol, an eminent
writer on botanical subjects. The stately dahlia after Andrew Dahl, the
Swedish botanist. But, without enumerating further instances, for they
are familiar to most readers, it may be noticed that plants which embody
the names of animals are very numerous indeed. In many cases this has
resulted from some fancied resemblance to some part of the animal
named; thus from their long tongued-like leaves, the hart's-tongue,
lamb's-tongue, and ox-tongue were so called, while some plants have
derived their names from the snouts of certain animals, such as the
swine's-snout (Lentodon taraxacum), and calf's-snout, or, as it is more
commonly termed, snapdragon (Antirrhinum majus). The gaping
corollas of various blossoms have suggested such names as dog's-mouth,
rabbit's-mouth, and lion's-snap, and plants with peculiarly-shaped
leaves have given rise to names like these--mouse-ear (Stachys Zanaia),
cat's-ears, and bear's-ears. Numerous names have been suggested by
their fancied resemblance to the feet, hoofs, and tails of animals and
birds; as, for instance, colt's-foot, crow-foot, bird's-foot trefoil, horse-shoe
vetch, bull-foot, and the vervain, nicknamed frog's-foot. Then there is the
larkspur, also termed lark's-claw, and lark's-heel, the lamb's-toe being so
called from its downy heads of flowers, and the horse-hoof from the
shape of the leaf. Among various similar names may be noticed the
crane's-bill and stork's-bill, from their long beak-like seed-vessels, and
the valerian, popularly designated capon's-tail, from its spreading
flowers.
Many plant names have animal prefixes, these indeed forming a very
extensive list. But in some instances, "the name of an animal prefixed has
a totally different signification, denoting size, coarseness, and frequently
worthlessness or spuriousness." Thus the horse-parsley was so called
from its coarseness as compared with smallage or celery, and the horse-
mushroom from its size in distinction to a species more commonly eaten.
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