i: I'i.OWl'.RS Ol' 11 U'. 111,1. 1)S AM) M1-,AI)()\VS 



I'ilcwort is ;i i\|)ital cla\ -li)\ iiil; plain. icciiiiriiiL; a cla\' soil, gene- 

 rally derived from older rocks, and furnished by L,rranite and schistose 

 formations as well as later Carboniferous and Triassic formations. 



The orange chisier-cups of the small iun^iis Urouiyccs bocc j^tow on 

 the leaves of this plant, bein^ the second ])hase of the fundus, which 

 jrrovvs on various grasses. Other tun;.^! which intest it are Peronospora 

 Ficarue and Enloloma Ranunculi. 



The moth Flame Brocade [P/i/oi^op/iora cinpyrca or 'frii^otiophoi-a 

 flaniinca) infests it in the caterpillar stage. 



Ficaria was proposed as a genus by Brunlels in allusion to its 

 supposed cure of piles (Latin /icus. a fig). Celantline is the name 

 given (from drcek c/ic/idoii) from its blossoming when the swallow 

 arrives. 



In English it is called Bright Eye, Celidony, Grain, Crazy, Crow 

 Pightle, Figwort, Foalfoot, Gilding- cup, Gilty Cup, Golden Cup, 

 Golden Guineas, Goldy Knol:), King-cup. Marsh Pilewort, Paigle, 



Pilewort. 



'I'here 's a flower that shall be mine 



'Tis the little Celandine. Wordsworth. 



The Lesser Celandine is not so acrid as the other species. The 

 leaves hav'c indeed been employed as a potherb. The roots are, 

 however, acrid and bitter. By the law of signatures it was recom- 

 mended as a remedy for piles. Pigeons are said to eat the 

 tubers. 



The tubers lie near the surface, and when e.xposed by rains their 

 appearance gave rise to the notion that the atmosphere had rained 

 wheat. In Sweden the plant is used in place of cabbage. 



EssENTi.\L Specific Char.\cters: — 



lo. Ranunculus Ficaria, L. — i cotyledon, root knob-like, leaves 

 reniform, cordate, radical, shining, entire, flowers yellow, 3 sepals, 9 

 petals, achenes smooth, obtuse, globose. 



Lady's Smock (Cardamine pratensis, L.) 



Nothing is known ot the early distribution or occurrence of this 

 plant. To-day it is found in the Arctic and Northern Temperate 

 Zone, in Arctic and Subarctic regions. A closely-allied species has 

 been met with in Australasia and in Tasmania. This well-known and 

 well-beloved plant is known imder one name or another in every 

 county in Great hiritaiii, and also in Ireland, and in Scotland, and it 

 rises to a height of ^200 ft. 



