There’s a flower that shall be mine,
’Tis the little celandine.
And when certain yellow flowers which frequent the village roadside are pointed out to us as those of the celandine, we feel a sense of disappointment that the favorite theme of Wordsworth should arouse within us so little enthusiasm. So perhaps we are rather relieved than otherwise to realize that the botanical name of this plant signifies greater celandine; for we remember that the poet never failed to specify the small celandine as the object of his praise. The small celandine is Ranunculus ficaria, one of the Crowfoot family, and is only found in this country as an escape from gardens.
PLATE XXXVI
YELLOW ADDER’S TONGUE.—E. Americanum.
Gray tells us that the generic name, Chelidonium, from the ancient Greek for swallow, was given “because its flowers appear with the swallows;” but if we turn to Gerarde we read that the title was not bestowed “because it first springeth at the coming in of the swallowes, or dieth when they go away, for as we have saide, it may be founde all the yeare; but because some holde opinion, that with this herbe the dams restore sight to their young ones, when their eies be put out.”
Celandine Poppy.
Stylophorum diphyllum. Poppy Family.
Stem.—Low, two-leaved. Stem-leaves.—Opposite, deeply incised. Root-leaves.—Incised or divided. Flowers.—Deep yellow, large, one or more at the summit of the stem. Calyx.—Of two hairy sepals. Corolla.—Of four petals. Stamens.—Many. Pistil.—One, with a two to four-lobed stigma.
In April or May, somewhat south and westward, the woods are brightened, and occasionally the hill-sides are painted yellow, by this handsome flower. In both flower and foliage the plant suggests the celandine.