WILD, OR XATIVE FLOWERS. 



15 



known plants called Milk-worts — low, bitter herbs — some of which are 

 remarkable for tonic properties, of which the Senega, or Snake-root, is 

 an example. 



Some of the species are remarked as bearing fertile flowers under 

 ground. The flowers of some are white, some red and others purple or 

 reddish lilac. The name Milk-wort appears to have been adopted 

 without any foundation, from an imaginary idea that the herbage of 

 some of the species promoted the secretion of milk in cows. Several 

 of the milk-worts are indigenous to Canada. 



P. Senega is not evergreen in its habit ; it flowers in May among 

 grasses on dry uplands ; it is simple, slender, and not ungraceful, the 

 leafy stem terminating in a spike of greenish-white flowers. The wiry 

 root is said to possess medicinal qualities. The plant which merits our 

 attention more particularly for its beautiful flowers is P. paiicifolia, the 

 beautiful fringed, or crested, Polygala. It is a small-sized plant, about 

 six to nine inches in height ; the stem is simple, rising from a running 

 or creeping root-stalk, often furnished with subterranean imperfect 

 leaflets, and fertile flowers. The smooth, dark-green leaves, delicately 

 fringed with soft, silky hairs, tinged with a purplish hue, are persistent 

 through the winter. The stem of the plant is leafy : the lower leaves 

 small and bract-like, the upper ones larger and clustered round the 

 summit ; from amongst these appear from two to four, and sometimes as 

 many as five elegantly winged purple-lilac flowers. The two upper petals 

 are long-ovate, the lower forming a crested keel, finely tinged with deeper 

 purple. The flowers of this beautiful species are very graceful, slightly 

 drooping from among the shining leaves on thread-like pedicels. The 

 stamens are six ; sepals of the calyx, five ; petals, three. Some old 

 writers have given the name of " Fly-flower " to our pretty Polygala, and 

 truly not an inappropriate name, as one might not inaptly liken the 

 opened blossom to some gay purple-winged insect ready to take its flight 

 from the bosom of the soft silky leaves that form an involucre round it. 



This Flowering Wintergreen is one of our earliest spring flowers ; 

 in fine warm seasons it appears in the latter end of April, continuing to 

 bloom on till the middle of May. The early flowering plants are not so 

 tall, neither are the flowers so large as those put forth later in the season. 

 On sunny spots, on moderately sandy soil, on open waste, by the wayside, 

 or at the edge of the partly cleared forest, it expands its soft purple- 

 sometimes rose-coloured flowers — often mingled promiscuously with the 

 white blossoms of the wild Strawberry and creeping Early Everlasting. 

 The lovely winged flowers gladden the eye of the traveller, when as yet 

 but few blossoms have ventured to brave the late frosts that oftimes nip 

 the fair promise of the Spring. 



