Obs. Also keri, keyri, -ry. [med.L. keiri, cheiri, Arab. khīrī, Pers. khīrū (yellow) gillyflower.] The Wallflower, Cheiranthus Cheiri.
The generic name Cheiranthus was formed by Linnæus on Cheiri or ‘Keiri arab.,’ by arbitrary association with Gr. χείρ hand. Philos. Bot., Nomina, § 229.
[1578. Lyte, Dodoens, II. iii. 151. Of the Wallfloure…. The yellow Gillofer is a kinde of violete called … of Serapio and the Apothecaries Keyri.
1616. Surfl. & Markh., Country Farme, 237. White, yellow, and red Gillo-flowres … especially the yellow … commonly called of Apothecaries Keyry.
1664. Evelyn, Kal. Hort., Mar. (1729), 196. Slip the Keris or Wall-flower.
1706. Phillips, Keiri or Cheiri, Wall-flower.
