72 WILD FLOWER FAMILIES 



Early Saxifrage. The rock-loving Early 

 Saxifrage is an abundant plant in the eastern 

 states, especially in hilly or mountainous regions. 

 It will flourish where there is very little soil to 

 hold it in place and is one of the flow-ers most 

 likely to be found in early summer toward the 

 tops of rocky hills and mountains. It prevents 

 nectar robbery by ants and other wingless insects 

 by the sticky hairs upon the main stems. Its 

 flow^ers are adapted to the visits of short-tongued 

 winged insects of many kinds and cross-pollina- 

 tion is insured by the fact that the pollen is shed 

 before the stigmas mature. 



Swamp Saxifrage. The Swamp Saxifrage 

 differs strikingly from the Early Saxifrage in its 

 choice of habitation, being found along the bor- 

 ders of swamps and in other w^et places and having 

 rather long, narrow, obtusely pointed leaves from 

 between which the flower stalk rises to a height 

 of one or two feet and bears an abundance of 

 small greenish flowers. This species is rather 

 widely distributed, being found from Maine to 

 Minnesota on the north and from Virginia to 

 Missouri on the south. 



Foam-flower. An example of a peculiarly 

 fitting name is found in Tiarella, the Foam-flower, 

 w^hich is also often called the False Mitrewort. 

 To appreciate the former name you should see 

 it growing in great masses in damp places in the 



