126 FLOWERS Ol" LAKES, RIVERS, ETC. 



Gipsyvvort is a pcal-lovin;^ i)lant and requires a peat soil, or a 

 clav-lovin<^ plant and grows on clay soil. 



Tliree beetles, Scrr/cs hcniispliffriciis. Lo)ii;ilcxrs2is Ivcopi, L. abdovii- 

 iialiSy are found upon it. No fungi infest the plant. 



Lycopiis, I'^ichs, is frf)m tli<; Greek /iikos. wolf, and /cz/.s-, foot, from 

 the shape of the leaves; and the .second name (Latin) refers to its 

 supposed range. 



The plant is known as Gii)sy-herb, Gipsy-wort, .Marsh Horehound, 

 Water Horehound. It is called Gipsy-herb on account of its u.se by 

 "those stroling cheats called gipsies" to give themselves "swart 

 colour such as the Lgxptians and the people of .Xh^ike are of" 

 (Gerarde). 



This plant )ields a l)lack d)c, and a permanf;nt colour to wool, linen, 

 and silk. There are 82 llowcrs in a whorl. The leaves vary much in 

 the degree of hairiness, and may be smooth or slightly downy. 



Es.SENTIAL SrEciFic Ch.\r.\cters : — ■ 



248. Lycopiis ciiropiciis, L. — Stem erect, branched, lea\es jjctiolate, 

 acute, serrate, opposite, flowers small, white, sessile, in dense whorls, 

 axillar) , caly.x 5-fid. 



Skull-cap (Scutellaria galericulata, L.) 



This is anotlier marsh [ilant whic-Ji is one ol the Arctic species not 

 foLind in early deposits as yet. It is found to-day in the Arctic and 

 Temperate Zones in Arctic Europe, N. Africa, N. Asia, as far east as 

 N.W. India, and N. America. In Great Britain it does not grow in 

 N, Somerset, Monmouth, Carmardien, Mid Lanes. Haddington, .Mid 

 Perth, S. Aberdeen, Easterness, Caithness, or Northern Isles, e.xcept 

 the Isle of Harris. It Is rare In Scotland and local in Ireland. 



The Blue Skull-cap is a familiar waterside plant, which is distinctly 

 hygrophilous, occurring by the side of most tracts of water, such as 

 ditches, streams, rivers, and also by the margins of pools, ponds, anil 

 lakes. It is fountl also in damp })laces in woods in tin- shade, and is 

 frequent in bogs and marshes. 



It grows In small clusters or groups, with an erect. (]uailrangular, 

 concave or hollow stem, with oblong, heart-shaped, blunt, stalked leaves, 

 scalloped, acute at the top, and serrate or coarsely toothed. 



The flowers are lilue, in pairs, all turned one way, axillary, softly 

 and loo.sely hairy, and whitish below. The calyx has a blunt mouth, 

 with a scale acting as a lid, and the first Latin name refers to its shape, 

 the second havinL- reference to the corolla, which is while inside, much 



