150 THE STORY OF PLANT LIFE 



The capsule is membranous, very small, flattened 

 at the margin, two-valved. The seeds are convex 

 on the back. 



The plant is 6-12 in. in length, and flowers in July 

 and August, being a herbaceous perennial. 



The floral mechanism indicates that the plant is 

 adapted to insects. The size of the flowers is small, 

 but they are conspicuous, and the stigma and anthers 

 are placed so that an insect visitor touches the 

 former first, favouring cross-pollination. 



The seeds are dispersed close to the plant. 



Messrs. Britten and Holland cite the following 

 names for this plant : Bastard Chickweed, Cornish 

 Money-wort, Moneywort, Penny Pies, Penn^-wort. 



SiBTHORPiA EUROPCEA. — Note 171 the illustration 

 (Fig. 42) the tufted habit. Several of the leaves are as 

 yet not fully expanded. The leaves are kidney-shaped or 

 orbicular. 



Foxglove [Digitalis purpurea). 



Few wild flowers are more popular than the Fox- 

 glove, which is a favourite in the flower-garden, and 

 figures largely in plant folk-lore, being one of the 

 fairy plants, the bells or corollas being variously 

 supposed to have been used as caps for the little folk 

 or for thimbles. 



The plant is found throughout the British Isles, 

 growing everywhere except in areas where the rocks 

 are calcareous, being a calcifuge. 



The habitat is usually a shady one, such as wood- 



