History
The first nasturtium species was introduced into Europe in the 18th century and was named Tropaeolum minus by the Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus. He chose the genus name because the plant reminded him of an ancient custom. After victory in battle, the Romans used to set up a trophy pole called a tropaeum (from the Greek tropaion, source of English "trophy"). On this the armour and weapons of the vanquished foe were hung. Linnaeus was reminded of this by the plant as the round leaves resembled shields and the flowers, blood-stained helmets.
Nasturtiums were also known as "Indian cress". This was because, when they were introduced they were used as a salad ingredient and they originated from South America which at that time was known as the Indies. The 16th-century herbalist John Gerard, in his book "Of the Historie of Plants", called the plant "lark's heel". He wrote: "unto the backe part(of the flower) doth hange a taile or spurre, such as hath the larkes heele, called in Latine Consolida regalis." (He was referring to the forking larkspur (Consolida regalis).
Read more about this topic: Tropaeolum
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