THE NAME OF THE DANDELION.

THE NAME OF THE DANDELION. Stephen Messenger had an article in the weekend Wall Street Journal which celebrated the names of flowers. The daisy takes its name from “day’s eye” because it closes its petals at night. Pansies take their name from the French pensee—thought. The dandelion takes its name from “dent de lion”—lion’s tooth, although Messenger takes the reference to be to the dandelion’s petals and the wikipedia article on dandelions takes the reference to be to the dandelion’s leaves. The wikipedia article adds that “In modern French the plant is named pissenlit, which means “piss in bed”, apparently referring to its diuretic properties.” Kids, you know from your Italian grandmother that dandelions make good eating. She used to stop her car when she saw a good field of dandelions and pick them. She called them “chigotti” (emphasis on the first syllable) or “chigot.” And that word is related to the Italian word for chicory—“chicoria.” (PDF document)