ii6 THE STORY OF PLANT LIFE 



the stigma is not so long as the tube, but it finally 

 overtops the stamens. The flower is thus adapted to 

 cross-pollination. 



The nutlets fall, when ripe, near the plant. The 

 plant is protected from cattle by its bristly stem 

 (hence Bugloss). 



The name Viper's Bugloss is said to be connected 

 with the spots on the stem, like the spots on a Viper, 

 or with the shape of the nutlets, and for this last 

 reason, the nutlets were used as a cure for snake- 

 bites. Bugloss means ox-tongue. 



Blue Bottle, Blue Weed, Wild Borage, Bugloss, 

 Viper's Bugloss, Cat's-Tail, Blue Cat's-Tail, Viper's 

 Grass, Iron-weed, Langdebeef, Our Lord's Flannel, 

 or Our Saviour's Flannel, Snake Flower, Snake's 

 Bugloss, Viper's Herb are names given in various 

 districts to this plant. 



EcHiUM VULGARE {Fig. 28). — The long leaves on 

 the stem are linear. The cyme contains munerotts 

 flowers, which are stalked, with the anthers exserted. 



Evergreen Alkanet (Anchusa sempervirens). 



Although not an indigenous plant, the Evergreen 

 Alkanet may be met with in most districts in this 

 country, where it is a wanderer from old gardens, 

 having been formerly used as a medicinal plant (hence 

 Anchusa, ancho meaning constrict). The evergreen 

 nature of this species (there are two British species), 

 is one reason, perhaps, for its general occurrence. 



