28 



BRITISH FLOWERING PLANTS 



the most interesting being the green caterpillar of 

 a moth (Plusia ?no?ieta), allied to our common 

 Gamma Moth (Plusia Gamma), which, a few- 

 years ago, spread from Central Europe into Holland 

 and England. P. moneta, which measures about an 

 inch and a half across the wings, is pale golden- 

 grey, with some silvery markings in the middle of 

 the forewings, and is varied with pale violet towards 

 the borders. 



The leaves and root of Monkshood are used in 

 medicine, chiefly to lower the temperature of the 

 body in cases of fever. 



In cases of poisoning by aconite an emetic should 

 be given, followed by stimulants (such as brandy), 

 and warmth and friction should be applied to the 

 body. Digitalis and strychnine may be employed 

 as antidotes. 



Bane-berry — Actcea spicata 



(Plate V) 



This is a plant growing from i to 2 feet high, 

 with large trifid bipinnate leaves. The small 



flowers grow in clusters. The calyx and corolla 

 are yellowish white (with 4 sepals and petals), and 

 the berry is black. The plant grows in shady 

 woods and thickets, and flowers in May. It is 

 a local plant in Britain, and is only found in the 

 north of England and Scotland. The leaves, like 

 those of various other Ranunculacetz, will raise 

 blisters on the skin. The berry also is of course 

 poisonous ; hence its name. It is an irritant, 

 causing sickness and diarrhoea. No British insect 

 is recorded as feeding on this plant. 



Several other plants belonging to the Ramtncu- 

 lacece are more frequently found in gardens than 

 wild in Britain, and some of these are probably 

 introduced rather than truly native species. 

 Among these we may mention the Pheasant's 

 Eye (Adonis autum?ialis), which is about 1 ft. in 

 height, and bears a bright scarlet flower, with a 

 black centre ; the Hellebores, or Christmas Roses, 

 bearing large green flowers, composed of 5 broad 

 sepals (the petals being rudimentary) incurving 

 towards the extremity, and highly poisonous ; the 



