BOGS, MARSHES, WET PLACES— SUMMER 245 



runners at the base ; narrow, smooth, sessile leaves, either uncut 

 or only shghtly toothed ; and slender racemes of pale pink or white 

 flowers on axillary peduncles arranged alternately, there being only 

 one raceme at each node. 



The second is the Water Speedwell (F. Anagallis), a smooth 

 plant, varying from six inches to two feet high, abundant in 

 marshes and ditches, 

 bearing small Ulac 

 or white flowers in 

 July and August. 

 Its stem is stout, 

 succulent, hollow, 

 erect, and slightly 

 branched; the leaves 

 narrow, acute, 

 toothed, sessile, 

 sometimes clasping 

 the stem ; and the 

 racemes axillary and 

 opposite. The flowers 

 are only a fifth of 

 an inch across. 



The third is the 

 Brookhme ( F. Becca- 

 bunga), a very abund- 

 ant plant commonly 

 seen growing in 

 ditches in company 

 with the Water Cress 

 and the Marsh-wort. 

 It is a smooth plant, 



with a stem from one to two feet long, procumbent at the base 

 and rooting at the joints ; erect, succulent flowering branches ; 

 thick, elliptical, blunt, sHghtly-toothed leaves on short stalks ; 

 and opposite, axillary racemes of blue (occasionally pink) flowers 

 about a third of an inch across. 



Two of the Figworts, belonging to the same order {Scrophu- 

 lariacece), are abundant in wet places all over Britain. They are 

 both tall erect plants, with opposite leaves, and pecuHar greenish 

 brown or dull purple flowers. In both the corolla is almost spherical 

 and shortly lipped. Two of the five lobes form the upper Hp ; two 



THE WATER FIGWORT. 



