BORAGINACE^— BORAGE FAMILY 



VIRGINIA COWSLIP. BLUEBELLS. LUNGWORT 



Mertensia Virginica 



Named in honor of Mertens, a German botanist. 



Perennial. In low meadows and along streams, often 

 cultivated. Ontario to Minnesota, south to New Jersey, 

 South Carolina, Nebraska, and Kansas. Frequent in 

 northern Ohio. April, May. 



Stem. — Smooth, pale, erect, one to two feet high. 



Leaves. — Oblong or obovate, veiny, entire; the lower 

 four to six inches long and narrowed into margined 

 petioles. 



Flowers. — Showy, clustered, pinkish purple when open- 

 ing, changing later to blue. 



Calyx. — Five-lobed; lobes oblong-lanceolate. 



Corolla. — Cylindric, trumpet-shaped, pendent, obscurely 

 five-lobed, throat open, often with five ridges between the 

 stamens. 



Stamens. — Five, inserted on the tube. 



Pistil. — Ovary four-divided; style threadlike. 



Fruit. — Four seed-like little nuts, wrinkled. 



Pollinated by bees and butterflies. Nectar-bearing. 



The brilliant blue blossoms of the Virginia Cowslip 

 are very striking among their paler neighbors. The 



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