84 VERBENA AUBLETIA. AUBLET's VERBENA. 



an old legend about the Verbena, which might, perhaps, lead us 

 to think that the plant itself was supposed to be sensible to the 

 sufferings of others. An old writer tells us that the herb is used 

 for healing wounds, and says : " When they gather it for this pur- 

 pose, firste they crosse the herb with their hand, and then they 

 blesse it thus : — 



" Hallowed be thou, Vervein, 



As thou growest on the ground, 

 For on the Mount of Calvaiy, 



There thou wast first found. 

 Thou healedst our Saviour, Jesus Christ, 



And staunchedst his bleeding wound ; 

 In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, 



I take thee from the ground." 



An American poet imagines that the flower itself is suggestive 

 of the idea : — 



"Verbena, in thy pensive grace 

 The emblem of the feeling heart I trace," — 



but this couplet was probably inspired by some species more 

 slender flowered than Aublet's. 



Our jDlant seems to have its northern limit about on the line 

 of Central Illinois, Central Missouri, and Central Kansas, whence 

 it is found southerly to the Gulf of Mexico. It grows at the 

 foot of the Rocky Mountains, near Denver, and has been found 

 in the Mojave Valley of the Colorado, but has not reached the 

 Pacific coast. Its central home seems to be about in Texas and 

 Arkansas. It is reported from Southwestern Pennsylvania, but 

 northward of that state it is probably not found east of the Ohio 

 River. It flowers in May or June, and continues till frost. 



