Sc. and north. [Of obscure origin.] The cuckoo-flower or lady-smock, Cardamine pratensis.
Freq. erroneously defined as a pink (Jamieson, 1808), or confused with other plants, as the primrose or polyanthus.
1773. Fergusson, Poems (1785), 139. Or can our flowrs, at ten hours bell The Gowan or the Spink excell?
1806. A. Douglas, Poems, 99. Countless spinks an daisies springin, Gaily deckt ilk vale an hill.
1819. W. Tennant, Papistry Stormd (1827), 9. Dear daffodillies, Kingcups and spinks, and livelie lillies.