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habitat of the plant, which grows on clay and loam 

 in the damp oakwood, and on marls and calcareous 

 sandstones in ash oakwoods, on chalk in beechwoods. 



The habit is erect. The stem is round in section, 

 with leaves in a whorl at the top, with a basal sheath. 

 The leaves are four or more (three to eight), broadly 

 ovate, or inversely ovate, oblong, acute, three- to five- 

 nerved. 



The flower is solitary, pale green, erect, stalked. 

 The stalks are i to 2 in. above the leaves. The 

 perianth is yellowish-green. The four outer segments 

 are narrow to lance-shaped, the four inner linear, 

 more yellow. The anthers are linear. The anther- 

 stalks are slender. The connective is produced. 

 There are four styles. The berry is four-celled, 

 black, or bluish-black, and opens irregularly. The 

 seeds are black, with a leathery testa. There are 

 four to eight seeds in each cell. 



In height Herb Paris varies from 6 in. to i ft. It 

 is in flower from May to July, and is a herbaceous 

 perennial. 



When the leaves are in fours the parts of the flower 

 are in fours. There are five parts to the flower if 

 there are five leaves. The perianth-segments are 

 five or ten respectively. There are as many stamens, 

 which are more or less hypogynous. The flowers 

 contain no honey, and are strong-smelling. The 

 stigma is ripe in advance of the stamens. The ovary 

 is a dull red colour, to which flies are attracted. It 

 has the appearance of decaying meat. There may 



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