XIX 



BY THE RIVER SIDE 



We have akeady dealt with flowers that grow in various damp 

 situations, as moist meadows, woods, &c. ; but there are a few such 

 which seem to be particularly partial to the banks of rivers, streams, 

 and ditches : short descriptions of these will be placed separately 

 in the present chapter. 



It will be understood from the foregoing remark that the species 

 taken here form only a small proportion of the flowers that actually 

 grow by the river side ; for although the numerous species com- 

 monly seen in moist fields and meadows may flourish quite to the 

 water's edge, yet there are not many which require the extreme 

 wetness of soil that restricts them to the sodden banks of rivers 

 and streams. 



Our first example is the Common Meadow Rue {Thalictrum 

 flavum). It belongs to the order Ranunculacece, but its pale yellow 

 flowers do not, at first sight, suggest a resemblance to the buttercups, 

 anemones, and other favourite flowers of this group, for they have 

 no petals, very small sepals, and are rendered conspicuous only 

 by their densely-clustered stamens, with their long, projecting, 

 bright yellow anthers. The plant is erect, from two to four feet 

 high ; and flowers during July and August. 



Passing over the Monk's-hood (AconihimNapellus), so well known 

 as a garden flower, which is occasionally seen wild near the banks 

 of streams and ditches, we come to the Blue Meadow Crane's-bill 

 {Geranium pratense) — one of the several species of pretty Wild 

 Geraniums (order Geraniacem). It is a downy plant, varying from 

 one to four feet high, with an erect stem, swollen at the nodes ; 

 and opposite, roundish leaves, deeply divided into five or seven lobes 

 with sharp segments. The flowers are of a bluish purple colour, 

 ^n inch or more in diameter, usually arranged two on a stajk, 



