Wayside and Woodland Blossoms. Step Edward

curious, and evidently have relation to cross-fertilization by insects, for the throat of the corolla-tube is closely guarded by a fringe of silky hairs, impassable by the thrips that vainly haunt the mouth in quest of pollen. The plant rarely, if ever, produces seed in this country, and this indicates that the insects necessary to its fertilization are not British. Flowers, April and May, and sparingly throughout the year.

      The Greater Periwinkle (Vinca major) is also naturalized in places. It is much larger in every respect than V. minor. The name of the genus is supposed to have been derived from the Latin Vincio, to bind or connect, in allusion to the manner in which its trailing stems thrust down a root from every node.

The Lesser Celandine (Ranunculus ficaria).

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      As soon as there comes a slackening of the iron rule of winter, whether it be early in February or late in March, then on sunny banks and at the feet of pasture-hedges, or on waste-ground by the roadside, the burnished gold stars of the Lesser Celandine glitter in the wintry sunshine. It is a charming little plant in its brightness and compactness, and not in the least suggestive of weediness; yet, if introduced into the garden it can become an absolute nuisance. Its roots produce a large number of cylindrical tubers, which—when the “doctrine of signatures” was in fashion—were held to resemble hemorrhoids, and therefore to be medicinal for that painful malady: hence one of its folk-names—Pilewort. Each of these tubers is capable of producing a new plant, and reproduction by this method is speedily effected.

      The leaves vary much in shape and in size. The larger, from the root (radical), are more or less heart-shaped, the edges bluntly angled; the smaller ones, from the stem (caudal), may approach towards the form of an ivy-leaf. The sepals (calyx) vary from three to five, usually three, and the petals from seven to twelve. The stamens are numerous, as also are the carpels or divisions of the fruit. As in the Anemone (page 3), these are achenes, a form persistent throughout the genus Ranunculus; each contains a single seed. The plant is well distributed throughout the country, and may be found in flower until May.

The Broom (Cytisus scoparius).

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      The Broom is sadly liable to be confounded with the Furze by the non-botanical rambler, chiefly, we believe, because of the similarity of the flowers and the partiality of both for heaths and commons. There are, however, several points of difference between them; but one is sufficient for a rough-and-ready distinction. The Furze began life with a few leaves similar to those of the Broom, but as it grew it put forth sharp spines instead of ordinary leaves, until it became more difficult to handle than any hedgehog. The Broom rarely puts on any prickles at all, and its compound leaves, of three small leaflets, may be seen as in the illustration, close to the pliant stems.

      Broom. Cytisus scoparius. —Leguminosæ.—

      Fumitory. Fumaria officinalis. —Fumariaceæ.—

      The flowers, too, are larger than those of the Furze, though similar in structure. The calyx is two-lipped, the petals five, unequal in size and shape. The very large upper petal erects itself somewhat, and is known as the “standard.” The two lateral ones are called “wings,” and the lower pair are united all along their lower edges, to form a boat-shaped body, called the “keel.” In this keel lie the stamens and pistil, which are curved, and the former have the filaments united into a tube within which lies the ovary. The stamens also vary in length, and should a bee alight on a newly-opened blossom in quest of pollen—for the Broom produces no honey—the pressure of the “wings” upon the “keel” forces out the shorter stamens, and they dust the bee’s abdomen with pollen. Should, however, the insect visit a flower lower down the stem and consequently a day or two older, the long stamens and the pistil spring out with some force, and the hairs on the pistil brush out the shed-pollen from the “keel” and sprinkle it on the bee’s back. Then the pistil curls so that the stigmatic surface shall come in contact with the abdomen of the next bee that arrives, probably with pollen from another flower. Thus fertilized the ovary develops into a valved pod like that of the garden pea, but smaller, of course, and black. When ripe the valves separate, twist up and scatter the seeds. Press down the wings with the finger in the position a bee would occupy, and observe the action of this remarkable mechanism, which, with variations, is common to all Leguminous plants (see pages 43, 44, 47, 48, 49, 52, 73, 94, 101, 132). The Broom flowers from April to June, and is widely distributed throughout the kingdom.

Fumitory (Fumaria officinalis).

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      I have frequently found that the grace and lightness of the Fumitory suggest to the non-botanical mind some kind of relationship with the Maidenhair-fern; more especially is this the case with the lower portion of the plant. The leaves are thin and much divided. The flowers are peculiarly formed, and their arrangement is known as a raceme. Each consists of a couple of small sepals, and four petals arranged in two unequal pairs; the upper petal is spurred at the base, the lateral pair connected by their tips and completely enclosing the stamens and pistil.

      The plant is common in dry fields and waste places throughout the three kingdoms, and indeed over a great part of the earth, for it is a plant that has followed close in the wake of cultivation. The name is an ancient one, derived from the Latin, fumus, smoke, some have said on account of the light unsubstantial character of the plant; but, according to Pliny, because the watery juice brought on such a flow of tears that the sight was dimmed as by smoke. This is not very satisfactory; but nothing better in the way of explanation has been offered, so we must be content with it. It had formerly a great reputation in medicine. Flowers from May till September.

      There are three other British species:—

      Rampant Fumitory (F. capreolata) which climbs to a height of 1½ to 2 feet by means of its twisting leaf-stalks. Its cream-coloured flowers are more loosely borne in the raceme than in F. officinalis. Small-flowered Fumitory (F. densiflora), similar to F. officinalis, but smaller and weaker, flowers paler, racemes short, leaflets smaller and narrower.

      Least-flowered Fumitory (F. parviflora), with small pale flowers and minute sepals; racemes dense.

      These three species are rare, the last especially so.

Lungwort (Pulmonaria officinalis).

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      Occasionally in woods and copses the rambler will come across this plant, which flowers in April and May. It is not truly a native, but has become naturalized in England and the South of Scotland. Time was when well-nigh every garden had its clump of Lungwort, for it had a splendid reputation for chest complaints. It is from these garden specimens that our naturalized plants have originated.

      Lungwort. Jerusalem Cowslip. Pulmonaria officinalis. —Boragineæ.—