PINK FAMILY 



markings on its whitish-green surface. The petals five, 

 veined; the pistil and stamens quite prominent; the 

 stamens dark, the pistil white. 



THE FRUIT: a capsule. 



This plant just escapes being inconspicuous and unin- 

 teresting, by virtue of its sac-like whitish-green calyx, 

 with purplish lines and its five pure white delicate petals. 



Saponaria officinalis, L. 

 CARYOPHYLLACE^ PINK FAMILY 



Pale magenta Bouncing-bet, Soapwort, 



pink to white Bunch-of-keys, Soap-root, 



(local for do uble Ladder-by-the-Gate, 



June-October form) London-Pride, 



Bruisewort, Mock-gilliflower, 



Old Maid's Pink, Soap-gentian, 



Boston Pink, Wild Sweet William 



Chimney Pink, Woods Flax, 



Hedge Pink, World' s-wonder. 

 Fuller's Herb, 



Saponaria: from the Greek for soap, because the plant's 

 mucilaginous juice makes a lather with water. 



Officinalis: A Latin form that means ''belonging in a work 

 shop" because the plant was known medicinally in the 

 workshop of the chemists. 



THE PREFERRED HABITAT: roadsides and waste grounds. 



THE PLANT: erect, one to two feet high, sparingly branched; 

 the stem leafy, stout, without hairs. 



THE LEAVES: opposite; ovate or oval; two inches to three 

 inches long; about one inch wide; without hairs; acute at 

 the apex; narrowed at the base into a broad, short petiole; 

 entire; strongly three ribbed. 



9 



THE FLOWERS: variable in colour and in number of petals. 

 They are in densely terminal corymbs with numerous small 



93 



