ON HEATH, DOWN AND MOOU 263 



erect) stem, from six to ten inches long, repeatedly forked, and 

 clothed with silky hairs. The leaves are compound, with three or 

 five deeply-toothed leaflets ; the lower ones sometimes shortly 

 stalked, but the upper always sessile. The flowers are rather small, 

 yellow, generally with four petals, on slender peduncles arising 

 from the axils of the leaves or from the forks of the stem. 



Our last example of the Rosacece is the Blackberry {Rubus 

 fruticosus) ; but it should be mentioned at once that the popular 

 name of Blackberry embraces quite a number of shrubs, often 

 estimated at some scores of species and varieties. We cannot here, 

 however, attempt to divide and classify the group ; but we shall 

 simply point out the features by which the shrubs in question may 

 be distinguished, collectively, from allied shrubs that are not 

 properly included under the same popular name. The stem of the 

 Blackberry grows to from tliree to twelve feet long, and has stiff or 

 downy hairs in addition to the prickles. It is sometimes quite 

 prostrate, sometimes erect, but more commonly arched, and rooting 

 at the tips as they bend to the ground. The leaves are very variable, 

 but usually consist of three or five large, ovate leaflets, with toothed 

 edges, more or 'less downy, having curved prickles along the 

 midrib and stalks. The flowers are white or pink, in terminal 

 panicles, with five free sepals, five distinct petals, and many stamens. 

 The fruit is black, and consists of several one-seeded carpels which 

 do not readily separate from the receptacle when ripe ; and the 

 persistent sepals are usually bent downward below it. 



Coming now to the Riibiacece, we have to note four species, all 

 characterised by whorled leaves ; a corolla of four, united petals ; 

 stamens attached to the corolla ; and an inferior ovary, of two 

 carpels, that ripens to a diy fruit. Three of the four belong to the 

 Bedstraw genus {Galium), in which the corolla is wheel-shaped. 

 They are : — 



1. The Yellow or Ladies' Bedstraw {G. verum), very abundant 

 on downs and dry banks, flowering from June to September. It 

 has a prostrate or semi-erect, smooth stem, from six inches to two 

 feet in length ; and smaU, narrow leaves, six to eight in a whorl, 

 generally shghtly rough on the edges. The flowers are pale yeUow, 

 golden yellow, or greenish, arranged in dense, terminal and axillary 

 panicles. The fruit is small and smooth. 



2. The Smooth Heath Bedstraw {G. saxatile). — Abundant on 

 downs, flowering from June to August. Its stem is prostrate, 

 smooth, from four to six inches long ; and the leaves are generally 



