Llygad Ebrill

Llygad Ebrill, originally uploaded by Rhian vK.

This is the Welsh name for this Spring-flowering plant, and means 'The eye of

April'.

In French it is 'la chélidoine grande', which is similar to its Latin

botanical name, Chelidonium majus.

The everyday Latin name was 'chelidonia', and came from the Greek

'chelidon', meaning 'swallow', as the flowering of the plant was supposed to coincide

with the arrival of the swallows in Spring.

The swallows arrived here exactly one week ago, on Saturday 1 April.

Oh yes, as you probably know, it's Greater Celandine in English. So what does the lesser one look like?