44 SWISS FLOWERS. 



semblance to those of the oak ; hence the first name. They, 

 are quite white on the back^ with a felt-like down, and the 

 front of the leaf, often turning over at the edges, gives a 

 pretty border to them. The seed is very curious, being 

 composed of a number of long, feathery, unjointed awns. 

 Frequent in high Alpine pastures. Little St. Bernard, Sils 

 (Engadine), Maderaner Thai, &c. The leaves are said to be 

 used instead of tea in France and Switzerland. 



28. Geum. 



(PLATE XXL) 



G. montanum (Fig. 28). This bright plant sends up its 

 solitary yellow blossoms thickly from its root, more in the 

 style of a Marsh-Marygold than that of the Geums of our 

 hedges. It has the same kind of rough leaf as the latter, 

 but different in shape, being pinnate -ly rate with the end- 

 lobe much longer than the others. The seed has somewhat 

 the same curious plume as the Dryas, which at once makes 

 it known. Mountain-pastures. It likes the rubbish of the 

 schist and granite-rocks. We have dried specimens whose 

 leaves quite sparkle with the grains of mica here and there 

 on them still. It keeps its colour well when dried. G. 

 montanum much resembles repens, which has long runners 

 and even a finer and more beautiful flower. It is rare, but 



