62 



BRITISH FLOWERING PLANTS 



oval, hairy, and multilobate — most often quinque- 

 lobate. The petals are heart-shaped, larger than 

 the calyx, and the lateral shoots of the plant droop 

 downward. 



Wild Strawberry — Fragaria vesca 



(Plate XXXI) 



The Wild Strawberry is common in open places 

 in woods, on grassy slopes, and in similar situations. 

 It flowers in April and May, and the fruit ripens in 

 June and July. The root is perennial, reddish brown 

 outside, and white inside. The plant throws out 

 long creeping runners, which afterwards develope 

 leaves, strike down roots, and become fresh plants. 

 The stem is upright, 5 or 6 inches high, round, hairy 

 above and bare below. The leaves are trifid, and 

 stand on long stalks. The white flowers are also 

 stalked, and stand at the summit of the plant. 

 The calyx is flattened and hairy, and the petals 

 are white and oval. The fruit is bright red, and 

 very juicy. It is much smaller than the cultivated 



varieties of the strawberry, but many people prefer 

 the flavour of the wild plant 



Many insects often hide among cultivated straw- 

 berry plants, especially if they have been somewhat 

 neglected and allowed to run at all wild. Among 

 these are several kinds of Yellow Underwing 

 Moths, brown, stout-bodied, downy moths, 2 inches 

 in expanse, with bright yellow hindwings, with a 

 black band varying in width according to the 

 species, before the hind border. 



The fruit, especially when over -ripe, is very 

 liable to be attacked by slugs, earwigs, a small 

 bright red centipede almost of the colour of a 

 strawberry, and other pests. 



The Genus Rubus 



Rubus is a rather extensive genus, including 

 low-growing or climbing shrubby and thorny 

 plants. The flowers have 5 petals and sepals, and 

 numerous stamens ; and are succeeded by berries 

 consisting of juicy carpels clustered round a 

 tough central receptacle. The leaves are lobed, 



