The name of Monk's-hood is also given to the Blue Helmet-flower, or aconite.[67]
Yellow Lark's-heels is a name our Elizabethan forefathers gave to the _Nasturtium Indicum_, a plant found in the West Indies and taken by the early Spanish explorers to Spain, whence it traveled to all parts of Europe.
"It is now very familiar in most gardens of any curiosity," says Parkinson. "The likeness of this flower, having spurs, or heels, is of so great beauty and sweetness withall that my Garden of Delight cannot be unfurnished of it. The flowers are of an excellent gold yellow color and grow all along the stalks. In the middle of each of the three lower leaves there is a little long spot, or streak, of an excellent crimson color, with a long heel, or spur, behind, hanging down. The whole flower hath a fine small scent, very pleasing, which, being placed in the middle of some Carnations, or Gilloflowers (for they are in flower at the same time), make a delicious Tussiemussie, as they call it, or Nosegay, both for sight and scent. Monardus and others call it _Flos sanguineus_ of the red spots in the flower, as also _Nastnerzo de las Indias_, which is _Nasturtium Indicum_; and we thereafter in English, Indian Cresses. Yet it may be called from the form of the flowers Yellow Lark's heels."
This flower is phosphorescent and is said to emit sparks, which are visible in the dark.
_Pansies for Thoughts and Poppies for Dreams_
PANSY (_Viola tricolor_). "Pansies--that's for thoughts," exclaims _Ophelia_, as she holds out the flower that the French call _pensée_ (thought). And it is the pansy that is "the little western flower" upon which "the bolt of Cupid fell" and made "purple with love's wound" and which "maidens call Love in Idleness,"--the flower that _Oberon_ thus described to _Puck_ when he sent him to gather it. The juice of it squeezed by _Oberon_ upon _Titania's_ eyelids and by _Puck_ upon the Athenian youths and maidens, who were also sleeping in the enchanted wood on that midsummer night, occasioned so many fantastic happenings.
The pansy in those days was the small Johnny-Jump-Up, a variety of the violet, according to the old writers, "a little violet of three colors, blue, white and yellow." Milton noted that it was "freaked with jet." Michael Drayton showed its close relationship to the violet in the lines: