WET MEADOWS AND LOW GROUNDS 143 



branches. There are leaf-like bracts under the flowers, and the 

 •whole plant is smooth, weak, and much branched. 



15. St. John's-wort 



Hypericum adpressum. — Fami/y, ^t.]ohx\'?,-^on. Color, 

 yellow. Leaves, long, lance-shaped, dotted, opposite. Time, 

 July, August. 



Sepals, 5. Petals, 5. Many stamens. A single stem, un- 

 branched, arises from a woody base, with flowers in a terminal 

 cyme. The stem has 2 or 4 edges or angles, and grows about 

 18 inches high. Flo7vers, rather large, conspicuous. 



16 



H. ellipticum, another species, found in wet places, has petals 

 •of pale yellow, and long, blunt, thin leaves, with a clasping base. 

 The cyme is sparsely flowered and not leafy. 8 to 20 in. high. 



17 



H. maculatiim has large oblong or lance - shaped leaves, 

 their bases somewhat clasping, and small, pale-yellow, crowded 

 flowers. Leaves conspicuously dotted with both black and 

 •clear dots. The petals are also dotted and marked with black 

 lines. 20 inches to 3 feet high. 



We are likely to become confused with the many slightly vary- 

 ing species of St. John's-worts. Any one of them was, in the eyes 

 of maidens of an older time, endowed with a sort of magical 

 power. If cultivated successfully in a garden, it would secure a 

 husband within a year. Gathered and hung on the doors on the 

 eve of St. John, it was supposed to be a protection against evil 

 spirits. 



18. Purple Polygala 



Polygala sanguinea. — Family, Milkwort. Color, reddish or 

 pale purple. Leaves, alternate, simple, entire, long, narrow. 

 Time, summer. 



