AMONG THE WILD FLOWERS. 27 
and newly-springing herbage of the dry copse. 
It is of Nat. Ord. Caprirotiace&. It will re- 
pay a careful examination of its curious little 
heads, one terminal flower having eight 
stamens, whilst the four surrounding ones have 
ten. This variation shows the imperfection 
of the Linnzan System, in which the plant is 
placed in Cl. VIII. It will be perceived to 
have a musky smell, from which it has been 
called Musk-root. The like variation in the 
number of stamens exists in Chrysosplenium, 
which is placed in Cl. X., although only the 
terminal flower has ten stamens, the rest eight. 
This plant belongs to the Saxifrage Family, 
SAXIFRAGACE&, in which are the numerous and 
beautiful species of Saaxzfraga, including SS. 
Umbrosa, London Pride. 
On wall-tops, and low roofs, in company 
with the Mosses, seeming like little troops of 
fairies coming forth to herald Spring, there has 
been for weeks past a perfect miniature of 
plant life, the Drada Verna, Common Whit- 
low Grass. It is now, in these latest days of 
March, developing its oval flat pods by which 
it will be recognised, as also by its circle of 
leaves from whose centre the flowering stem 
