The Hidden Origins of Three English Plant Names

The names of plants, or phytonyms (from Ancient Greek 'phytón', ‘plant’, and 'ónoma', ‘name’, ‘noun’), are a very significant part of the lexicon of a language. They represent not only a relevant ‘specialized vocabulary’, but, when investigated through the analysis of the linguistic procedures implemented by speakers to generate them, tell us a lot about the mindset and culture of a population. The etymological reconstructions of phytonyms often hold surprises and challenges for the Linguists who study them and, once completed, enable them to understand the perspectives of a group of individuals and to document their perception of the world. The English language has a very rich botanical lexicon, and English plant names often tell us fascinating stories. Their origins are etymologically captivating or conceptually startling. This article briefly comments on three of them, which are linguistically unique.