The Clove Pink, or Carnation of our gardens, though found
apparently wild on old castle walls in England, is a naturalised
flower in this country. It is, botanically, the _Dianthus
Caryophyllus_, being so named as _anthos_, the flower, _dios_, of
Jupiter: whilst redolent of _Caryophylli_, Cloves. The term Carnation
has been assigned to the Pink, either because the blossom has the
colour, _carnis_, of flesh: or, as more correctly spelt by our older
writers, Coronation, from the flowers being employed in making
chaplets, _coronoe_. Thus Spenser says:--
"Bring Coronations, and Sops in Wine,
Worn of paramours."--_Shepherd's Kalendar_.
This second title, Sops in Wine, was given to the plant because the
flowers were infused in wine for the sake of their spicy flavour;
especially in that presented to brides after the marriage ceremony.
Further, this Pink is the Clove Gilly (or _July_) flower, and gives its
specific name to the natural order _Caryophyllaceoe_. The word
Pink is a corruption of the Greek Pentecost [433] (fiftieth), which
has now come to signify a festival of the Church. In former days the
blossoms were commended as highly cordial: their odour is sweet
and aromatic, so that an agreeable syrup may be made therefrom.
The dried petals, if powdered, and kept in a stoppered bottle, are of
service against heartburn and flatulence, being given in a dose of
from twenty to sixty grains. Gerard says, "a conserve made of the
flowers with sugar is exceeding cordiall, and wonderfully above
measure doth comfort the heart, being eaten now and then. A water
distilled from Pinks has been commended as excellent for curing
epilepsy, and if a conserve be composed of them, this is the life and
delight of the human race." The flower was at one time called
_ocellus_, from the eye-shaped markings of its corolla. It is nervine
and antispasmodic. By a mistake Turner designated the Pink
Incarnation.