Forms: 4 celydoine, -oyne, 5 celydon, -oun, celidoyne, 6 celidone, celandyne, selandine, 5–7 celondine, sellondine, salandine, sal-, sall-, selendyne, -ine, solydyne, 6–7 celendine, 8, 9 dial. celadine, 6– celandine. See also CELIDONY1. [ME. celydoine, a. OF. celidoine:—late L. celidonia, Lat. chelidonia (-onium), ad. Gr. χελιδόνιον, f. χελιδών swallow.
In reference to the name, ancient writers stated that the flower appeared at the time of the arrival of the swallows, and withered at their departure. The story of the use made of the juice by swallows (see quot. 1601 in 1 a) was probably suggested by the name. For the intrusive n cf. messenger, passenger.]
1. The name of two distinct plants, bearing yellow flowers; by the old herbalists regarded as species of the same plant, and identified (probably correctly) with the ‘greater and lesser chelidonia’ of ancient writers.
a. Common or Greater Celandine, Chelidonium majus (N.O. Papaveraceæ): called by Lyte swallow-wort. Its thick yellow juice was formerly supposed to be a powerful remedy for weak sight.
a. 1310. in Wright’s Lyric P., 26. With celydoyne ant sauge.
1393. Gower, Conf., III. 131. His [i.e., Ariel’s] herbe also … Is celidoine freshe and grene.
c. 1430. Bk. Hawkyng, in Rel. Ant., I. 297. Take the jus of salendyne.
c. 1450. Nominale, in Wr.-Wülcker, 712. Hec celidonia, celydoun.
1486. Bk. St. Albans, B iv b. Take the Juce of Salandyne and wete a morcell of flesh therin.
1538. Turner, Libellus, Celendyne.
1549. Compl. Scot., vi. 67. i sau celidone, that is gude to help the sycht of the ene.
1562. Turner, Herbal, II. 15 b. The iuice of Selendine … maketh the eysight clere.
1601. Holland, Pliny, II. 224. The great Celendine, called in Greek Chelidonia, for that the old Swallows with the helpe of this hearb helpe their young ones to see again.
1651. Biggs, New Disp., § 79. Celandin weepeth a golden juice.
1869. Oliver, Elem. Bot., II. 135. The juice of Common Celandine is of a bright orange colour.
b. Small or Lesser Celandine, the Pilewort or Figwort, Ranunculus Ficaria.
1578. Lyte, Dodoens, I. xx. 32. The small Celandyne was so called, bycause that it beginneth to spring and to floure, at the comming of the Swallowes.
1616. Surfl. & Markh., Countr. Farm, 197. The small Celandine, otherwise called Pilewort.
1775. Ash, Celadine, the name of a plant, pilewort, chelidonium.
1803. Wordsw., To Small Celandine. There’s a flower that shall be mine, ’Tis the little Celandine.
1859. Lewes, Sea-side Stud., 189. The dog-violet and the celandine are gay with colour.
† 2. Brave Celandine: applied by Lyte to the Marsh Marigold, Caltha palustris. Obs.
1578. Lyte, Dodoens, I. xx. 31. There is another herbe much like to small Celandyne in leaues and floures, the which we may call Marsh Marygolde, or Brave Celandyne.
3. Tree-celandine; Bocconia frutescens of the W. Indies. (Treas. Bot.)
