PRIMROSE FAMILY 



in a "cone-shaped cluster." Usually the middle flowers 

 of the spike are in full bloom while the lower are withered, 

 the petals fallen, but the calyx persisting and the upper 

 ones still in bud. This is not a long-stemmed plant but 

 an optimistic one, for often a stem is found, bent and 

 curved, but full of bloom. En masse in a damp spot, the 

 "misty" yellow of the flowers is in fine contrast with the 

 deep green of the meadow grass. 



PRIMULACE.E PRIMROSE FAMILY 



Trientalis americana, (Pers.) Pursh. 



White Star-flowers, 



Winter green. 

 June 



Trientalis: Latin, meaning the third part of a foot, in allu- 

 sion to the height of the plant. 

 Americana: Latin for American. 



THE PREFERRED HABITAT: thickets and damp woods. 



THE PLANT: from horizontal or creeping root-stocks which 

 send up simple and stem-like branches, three inches to 

 nine inches high, naked or scaly below. 



THE LEAVES: in a whorl at the top; five to ten, lanceolate 

 or oblong-lanceolate; one and one-half inches to four 

 inches long; without hairs on either surface; tapering to a 

 point at both ends; sessile or stout-petioled: entire; with 

 minute hairs on the margins. 



THE FLOWERS: solitary or few on very slender stems, star- 

 shaped, daintily formed. 



THE FRUIT: a capsule. 



This is one of those beautiful, earlier flowers that are 

 not well known on Nantucket because their flowering- 

 season is so short. Mr. Bicknell says that in 1909 he found 

 the first flowers June 1st but after June 9th few flowers 



295 



