DAISIES, CORN COCKLE, BUGLOSS, AND OTHER SUMMER FLOWERS 287 



Caryophyllacecc. According to Gray, this contains some 

 fourteen genera, split into two tribes. Perhaps the best 

 forms in it known to the nature student are the Chick- 

 weeds, Campions, and a few others. In this group there 

 is, however, one very well-known plant, not only to those 

 who go afield to study our wild flowers, but to farmers 

 and to many foresters as well. Reference is made to the 

 Corn Cockle (Agrostennna githago), an excellent example 

 of which is shown in Figure 2 ; this is another plant intro- 

 duced from Europe. The scentless flowers, which are of 



flowers are single and terminal on the stems. There is a 

 large calyx, the five linear lobes of which are longer than 

 the five rounded petals of the corolla. There is one pistil 

 and ten stamens, with their five styles. The hairy, pale 



FLOWERS AND SEED-PODS OF CORN COCKLE (AGROSTEMMA 

 CI THACO) 



Fig. 2. — This is an annual that was introduced from Europe, and it is a part 

 of the grain fields in this country. The flowers are of a pretty magenta shade 

 and rather showy. The plant is straight, branched, with densely hairy stems. 

 Note the long, linear sepals e.\tending beyond the five petals. Leaves linear. 

 Stamens ten. Grows to be nearly a yard high. The leaves are very narrow, 

 long, opposite, and of a pale green color. The large black fly seen resting on 

 one of the stems is Culerebra cuuiculi, so named because its larvae are bred beneath 

 the skin of rabbits. 



a bright crimson-purple color, appear late in May in the 

 South, but not until July or August in the northern 

 States. The example given in Figure 2 presents not only 

 the flowers but also specimens of the seed-pods at various 

 stages of their development. It will be noted that the 



BUGLOSS, A HANDSO.ME WAYSIDE FLOWER (ECHIUM VULCARE) 



Fig. 3. — We find two plants in the Borage family {Boraginacece) to which we 

 apply the name of Bugloss; they belong to different genera. There is the Small 

 Bugloss (Lycopsis arvensis), and the one shown in this figure, which is Viper's 

 Bugloss. also called Blue-Weed and Blue-Devil (Echitim vutgaie). 1 his is a 

 magnificent specimen collected early in the summer near Washington, D. C., 

 and photographed by the author. This plant is found flourishing along road- 

 sides, railroad-tracks, and in waste meadows, being abundant in some sections 

 of the country and rare in others. It escaped from England, and is common 

 in some parts of Europe and Asia. Bugloss flowers of this species are pink in 

 the bud, come out blue, then turning to a reddish purple. Their form, as well 

 as that of the leaves and stem, is well shown in the picture. 



green, linear-lanceolate leaves are opposite, while the stout 

 and erect stem is four-angled, and will be frequently seen 

 to branch. 



Corn Cockle plants sometimes occur in many thou- 

 sands in the grain fields anywhere over their range, which 

 is pretty general; and, while detested by the farmicr as 

 noxious weeds, the sight they present to the lover of wild 

 flowers is certainly a beautiful one. They are often met 

 with along roadsides, and it was in such a place that I 

 found the one I photographed for Figure 2. 



When the farmer takes in his wheat or other grain, 

 the Corn Cockle seeds often get mixed up with it, which 

 is unfortunate, as it contains a poisonous element known 



