114 THE STORY OF PLANT LIFE 



four achenes or nutlets, one-seeded, enclosed within 

 the calyx. 



The modes of pollination are interesting. The 

 Lungwort is heterostylic. The fruits are often 

 hooked and dispersed by animals. 



The group is divided into four sections in so far 

 as British forms are concerned : Echieae, including 

 Viper's Bugloss ; Anchusese, including Borage, 

 Comfrey, Alkanet ; Lithospermese, including Crom- 

 well, Mertensia, Lungwort, Forget-me-not ; and 

 Cynoglossese, including Aspertigo, and Hound's 

 Tongue. 



Many of the plants in this group have properties of 

 importance. They are mucilaginous and emollient. 

 Purple or brown dyes are yielded by the roots. Some 

 of the plants yield alkalies. 



Viper's Bugloss (Echium vulgare). 



One of our loveliest wild flowers. Viper's Bugloss 

 is not so common as the common Bugloss, a corn- 

 field plant, though the Latin name here would suggest 

 that it is. 



The plant is found in all parts of the British Isles, 

 but is more common in the South, and in Ireland on 

 the East coast. In Scotland it is regarded as an alien 

 or colonist alone. It would appear to be more native 

 on the chalk than elsewhere. 



The habitat of Viper's Bugloss is dry places, road- 

 sides, waste places, on light soil, walls, gravel pits, 

 quarries, or where ballast may be found. On the 



