Note 1074 — Chapter VIII · DIONYSOS. (continued 2)
Reading edition
This was first observed by Grimm (Geschichte d. d. Sprache p. 66), see Hehn, Kulturpflanzen, 7th edit. p. 550, but Hehn’s explanation of the custom does not seem satisfactory. Our custom of calling inferior varieties of plants by dog-names, e.g. Dog-Rose, Dog-Violet, seems analogous.