274 FIELD AND WOODLAND PLANTS 



lobes that spread only in the direct rays of the sun. The time of 

 flowering is August and September. 



One of the Dodders — the Lesser Dodder {Cuscuta Epithymum) — 

 is essentially a plant of heaths and moors, where it is parasitic on 

 Heaths, Thyme, and other shrubby plants. It is described in 

 Chapter XXIII, where will also be found a short account of its 

 growth and parasitic habits. 



Our only example of the Scrophalariacece as far as this chapter is 

 concerned — the Eyebright {Euphrasia officinalis) — is also a partial 

 parasite, and is referred to, with other plants of the same nature, 

 in Chapter XXIII. It is a little plant, the general appearance of 

 which is shown in our illustration. It varies from one to eight 

 inches high, and bears little lilac, Hpped flowers, streaked with 

 purple, with a rather large yellow spot at the base of the lower lip. 



One of the Mints — Mentha Pulegium (order Lahiatce) — well- 

 known as a garden herb under the name of Pennyroyal, is to be 

 found on damp heaths. Though not very common, it is widely 

 distributed, occurring in nearly all parts of Great Britain. It 

 is very aromatic, and is largely cultivated for use as a remedy 

 for colds. The flowers are of a lilac colour, arranged in dense, 

 distant whorls in the axils of the upper leaves. The calyx is downy 

 without, hairy at the throat within ; and the corolla has almost 

 equal lobes, the upper of which is notched. The plant flowers in 

 August and September. 



In the same order is the Wild Thyme {Thymus Serpyllum) — a 

 little, wiry, prostrate plant, with an aromatic odour, very abundant 

 on the dry heaths of most parts of Britain, flowering from June 

 to August. Its stem is thin but hard, and much branched, the 

 numerous flowerless branches usually forming a dense tuft close 

 to the ground. The flowers are purple, in whorls of five or six in 

 the axils of the upper leaves. The calyx is lipped, of a deep red 

 colour, and its mouth is closed with hairs after the corolla is shed. 

 The corolla is of a paler colour, and indistinctly divided into two 

 lips, the upper of which is erect and notched, while the lower is cleft 

 into three lobes. The time of flowering is from June to August. 



The Wood Sage or Wood Germander {Teucrium Scorodonia) 

 is very abundant on damp heaths, and is also commonly seen in 

 hedgerows and on banks, especially in hilly and heathy districts. 

 It is an erect plant, from one to two feet high, with a hard, hairy, 

 slightly-branched stem. Its paired leaves are stalked, ovate or 

 cordate, toothed, downy, and much wrinkled like the leaves of the 



