BLUE AND PURPLE 



EUROPEAN BELLFLOWER. 



Campanula rapiinculoides. Campanula Family. 



Stem. — Erect; slender; usually rather tall. Stem-leaves. — Narrowly 

 oval ; pointed ; alternate ; the lower ones long-stemmed and heart-shaped. 

 Flowers. — Blue or purple ; bell-shaped; nodding. Calyx. — Five-cleft. Co- 

 rolla. — About one inch long; bell-shaped; five-lobed. Stamens. — Five. 

 Pistil. — One, with three stigmas, which unfold rather late in the flower's 

 life. 



This European bellflower has become very common in parts 

 of the country ; especially in New England it brightens the 

 fields and roadsides in the neighborhood of the villages and farm- 

 houses from whose gardens originally it made its escape. 



l^ NIGHTSHADE. 



Solanitm Dulcamara. Nightshade Family- 



Stem. — Usually somewhat climbing or twining. Leaves. — Heart-shaped ; 

 the upper halberd- shaped or with ear-like lobes or leaflets at the base. Flow- 

 ers. — Purple; in small clusters. Calyx. — Five-parted. Co7'olla. — Five- 

 parted; wheel-shaped. Stamens. — Five; yellow; protruding. Pistil. — 

 One. Fruit. — A red berry. 



The purple flowers, which at once betray their kinship with 

 the potato plant, and, in late summer, the bright red berries of 

 the nightshade, cluster about the fences and clamber over the 

 moist banks which line the highway. This plant, which was im- 

 ported from Europe, usually indicates the presence of civilization. 

 It is not poisonous to the touch, as is often supposed, and it is 

 doubtful if the berries have the baneful power attributed to them. 

 Thoreau writes regarding them: "The Solanum Dulcamara 

 berries are another kind which grow, in drooping clusters. I do 

 not know any clusters more graceful and beautiful than these 

 drooping cymes of scented or translucent, cherry-colored ellip- 

 tical berries. . . . They hang more gracefully over the 

 river's brim than any pendant in a lady's ear. Yet they are 

 considered poisonous ; not to look at surely. . . . But why 

 should they not be poisonous? Would it not be bad taste to 

 eat these berries which are ready to feed another sense ? 



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