WOODS AND THICKETS IN SPRING 



53 



solitary and axillary, and the peduncle has two small bracts about 

 half way up. There are five sepals, united below ; five white or 

 pinkish petals ; and ten stamens, all united into one bundle, but 

 five shorter than the others. The ovary is five-chambered, and the 

 fruit is a capsule. 



Like the Violet, this flower is particularly interesting both as to 

 the nature of its flowers, and to the manner in which it scatters 

 its seeds. It bears two kinds of flowers — the delicate spring flowers 

 just described, which are barren ; 

 and the later inconspicuous 

 blooms, without petals, and which 

 do not open, but produce seeds. 

 The latter kind of flower may be 

 seen up to August and September. 



When the ovary is ripe it 

 splits longitudinally along five 

 seams, but the seeds remain 

 attached to the placenta. Now, 

 the seed coat is made up of 

 layers, one of the inner of which 

 becomes highly strained as the 

 ripening proceeds, while the outer 

 coat is not so strained. When 

 the seed is quite ripe the cell- 

 walls of the deeper layer swell, 

 thus exerting a pressure on the 

 outer layer, which is at last rent. 

 The edges of the slit formed 

 suddenly roll back, and the seed 

 is violently jerked out through 

 the opening of the capsule immediately in front of it. 



In April, and from this month to about the end of July, the 

 Wood Strawberry {Fragaria vesca — order Rosacece) is in flower. 

 There is no mistaking this species when in fruit, but at other times 

 the Barren Strawberry {Potentilla Fragariastrum), also called the 

 Strawberry-leaved Cinquefoil, is often confused with it. The latter 

 may be known by the absence of runners. 



The chief distinguishing features of the Wood Strawberry are 

 the running stem ; ternate leaves, with sessile, hairy, serrate 

 leaflets ; hairy, erect peduncles ; and white flowers, about haK an 

 inch in diameter, on pedicels which droop when in fruit. 



THE WOOD SOUUEL, 



