Page:Glossary of words in use in Cornwall.djvu/303

34 A GLOSSARY OF DEVONSHIRE PLANT NAME& ItiJOUXfT, a contraction of Lamb-mint, (1) Mentha tdridis, L. ; but frequently applied to (2) Mentha piperita^ L., or Peppennint. Latlook^ a common Tnlgarism for Lilac. (Qf. Britten, p. 302.) Lazarus Bell, FritiUaria Meleagrte^ L. ^This name I have found given in the neighbourhood of Crediton to what is more generally known as the Snake's-head Lily, a somewhat rare native planf See, for the remainder of Mr. King's interesting note, Leopard Lily. It may be interesting to compare other local English names of this flower; such as ^'Dead Man's Bell" or " Deith BelL" Lbmok, or Lemon-plant, Lijppia {Aloysia) citriodoray Kth. Also called Verbena, on account of the similarity in appearance of the leaves. (Cf, Britten, p. 303, who gives Lemon T^" as the name.) Lent-Cooks, Nardeeus Paettdo^narciseue^ L. Li allusion, it seems, to the barbarous custom of cock-throwing," &c {Cf. Brand's Po27. Ant. I 69, 72, 101 ; Clams. Calend. i. 212 eeq.; Oard. Chrm. Maich 22nd, 1879, p. 376 ; Britten, p. 303.) Lentils, Narcissus PseucUHUMrcissuSy L. Corrupted, as one might easily imagine, from the similarity of ^e name of Lent-lily" with that of the Enmm Lens^ L. Britten (p. 303) and Prior (p 135) only give the latter. Lent Lily, or Liueb, contracted to Lents (even when used of one single flower). {Qf. next entiy, and Britten, p. 303; Prior, p. 136.) Lent Eosb, plural Lent Rosen and Lent Roses or Lents. (1) Narcissus Pseudo^narcissus^ L. From the time of flowering. (Cf. also Easter Lily, Gracy Day, Gigoary, Whitsunday. See Britten, p. 303.) (2) Narcissus biflorus, L., beans the same name, and for the same reason. Rosen " as plural occurs also mprimrosen, hutter-roseny &c Leopard Lily, FritiUaria Mdeaffrisy L. (Cf. Lazarus Bell.) Mr. King adds : Another name for it, which at first seems just as unintelligible, is leopard lily. In both cases, however, these names are probably corruptions. ' Lazarus bell ' seems to have been origin- ally ' Lazar's bell,' and the flower must have been so called from its likeness to the small bell which the ' lazar ' was bound to wear on his person, so that its tinkling might give warning of his approach. The checked, scaled marking of the flower also suggested a connex- ion with the leper ; and ' leopard lily ' is no doubt to be explained as ' leper's lily.' It need hardly be added that these names are now quite without understood meaning, although when a leper^s hospital was attached to every large town they would have been intelligible enough." — R. J. King, Trans. Devon. Assoc, ix. 101-2. It is, however, quite likely that the name refers to the similarity between the flower and the spots on the leopard's skin. {Qf. Crown Imperial.)