164 



AMl'.RICAX FORl'.SIKY 



of the Mallow family (Malvacece), it being the Swamp 

 Rose Mallow (Htlnsctis moscheutos). This great, rosy- 

 hued beauty may be seen far off, be it growing among the 

 tall, rank grasses of the salt marshes, or among the cat- 

 tails, alder bushes, or forty other species along the edges 

 of pools and ponds, or overgrown swamps, for the matter 

 of that. It is probably the most striking flower of the 

 entire flora of this country, and it reminds one vcrv much 



A MUCH-DESPISED WEED MAY BE A MOST INTERESTING PLANT 



Fig. .*>. — Upper parts of the longitudinally grooved stems or scapes of the Com- 

 mon Plantain (Pluntanu major), bearing the densely-flowered spikes of this very 

 cosmopolitan and common plant, which occurs everywhere along the roadsides 

 and only too frequently crops up in great numbers on our lawns and pastures. 



of the common hollyhock of the gardens. Several true 

 relatives of it, however, are to be found in the genus 

 Hibiscus, as the Shrubby Altha-a of our gardens {Hibiscus 

 syriacus), which was introduced from Asia; the Flower- 

 of-an-hour {H. trionum) from Europe, and a number of 

 others, which it would require too much space to describe 

 here. Descriptions of them are to be found in all of our 

 standard botanies. Mathews tells us that "The most 

 frequent visitors of the genus Hibiscus are the honeybees 

 and bumblebees." Mrs. Dana gives us the following 

 graceful paragraph on this species: "When the beautiful 

 rose mallow slowly unfolds her pink- 1 ianner-lil<c petals, 



and admits the eager bee to her stores of golden pollen, 

 then wc feel that the summer is far advanced. As truly 

 as the wood anemone and the bloodroot seem filled with 

 the essence of spring and the promise of the opening year, 

 so does this stately flower glow with the maturity and ful- 

 filment of late summer. Here is none of the timorousness 

 of the carl\- blossoms, which peep shyly out, as if ready 



ONE OF FLORIDA'S BEAUTIFUL FLOWERS 



Fk;. 6. — The Catharine Flower {ThysaneUa fimhriala) flourishes in the sandy 

 regions of certain parts of Georgia and Florida. It belongs in the Buckwheat 

 family (Polyfiottact'cp), and there is but one other species, the T, robtista, which 

 flowers all the year around in the pine lands of Florida, while the above species 

 flowers only up to about the first of January, lasting all summer. The flowers 

 are a most delicate pinb, with some pink and white and a few pure white. The 

 leaves arc very narrow and pubescent. It grows in bushy fashion about a 

 yard in height, the root being small, tough, and for the most part slender. 



to beat a hasty retreat should a late frost overtake them, 

 but rather a calm assurance thai the time is ripe, and that 

 the salt marshes and brackish ponds are only awaiting 

 their rosy lining." 



It will not be necessary to give any further account 

 of the lovely flower here shown in Figure 6, beyond what 

 occurs in the legend beneath it. 



In regard to sending flowers to the editor of this 

 Department of American Forestry for description, they 

 should come in excellent condition if ])acked as soon after 



