At the outset, it is noteworthy that our English plant names can boast of a very extensive parentage, being, “derived from many languages—­Latin, Greek, ancient British, Anglo-Saxon, Norman, Low German, Swedish, Danish, Arabic, Persian."[2] It is not surprising, therefore, that in many cases much confusion has arisen in unravelling their meaning, which in the course of years would naturally become more or less modified by a succession of influences such as the intercommunication and change of ideas between one country and another.  On the other hand, numerous plant names clearly display their origin, the lapse of years having left these unaffected, a circumstance which is especially true in the case of Greek and Latin names.  Names of French origin are frequently equally distinct, a familiar instance being dandelion, from the French dent-de-lion, “lion’s tooth,” although the reason for its being so called is by no means evident.  At the same time, it is noticeable that in nearly every European language the plant bears a similar name; whereas Professor De Gubernatis connects the name with the sun (Helios), and adds that a lion was the animal symbol of the sun, and that all plants named after him are essentially plants of the sun.[3] One of the popular names of the St. John’s wort is tutsan, a corruption of the French toute saine, so called from its healing properties, and the mignonette is another familiar instance.  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 Loeys, 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.”