230 FLORA HISTORICA. 



ROSEBAY WILLOW HERB or FRENCH 

 WILLOW. Epilobium Angiistifolium. 



Natural Order CalycantherrKB. Onagri, Juss : a Genus 

 of the Octandria Monogynia Class. 



This beautiful rustic plant, so ornamental in land- 

 scape gardens by its tall spikes of showy flowers, 

 is admirably adapted to embellish the banks of 

 our streams, the foreground of our woods, and 

 wilderness scenery in general, since its amaranth- 

 coloured calyx and its amethyst-tinted corolla 

 contrast as happily with the blue waters of the 

 lake, as agreeably with the green foliage of the 

 forest. There is an elegance in the rusticity of 

 this plant and a liveliness in its flower that are 

 seldom surpassed by the choicest -gifts of Flora, 

 yet it has been too generally rooted out of the 

 parterre, without being admitted into more suit- 

 able situations. Its rapid increase by its creep- 

 ing root renders it unfit for the quarters of 

 choice plants, as well as its height, which is 

 usually from four to six feet ; but these objec- 

 tionable qualities in the flower-garden are ad- 

 mirable properties in other situations, which 



