94 DROSERACE^ 



are frequently darkened with the remains of insects. Its flowers are white, 

 and it blossoms in July and August. 



We never see this plant without recalling the anecdote of the little Swedish 

 naturalist, Pyppon. The narrative is pleasantly told by Dr. E. D. Clarke, in 

 his voluminous " Travels." This little Pyppon was a barefooted boy who, at 

 the time of the traveller's visit to Sweden, was apprenticed to an apothecary. 

 His love for natural history was so great, that he rose daily at three o'clock 

 in the morning to ramble over the country in search of plants and insects, 

 hiding them in his hat lest they should be seen by his master. The apothe- 

 cary thought, perhaps with some reason, that these pursuits might prevent 

 him from giving due attention to the business of the shop, and therefore 

 he opposed them angrily. As often happens, however, enthusiasm is the 

 secret of success ; and the ardent young naturalist had searched the neighbour- 

 hood so well, that he knew the habitat of every plant which grew in it. 

 Dr. Clarke told this boy that he had been looking in vain for some specimens 

 of the Siberian sowthistle, which was said to grow near the town ; and he 

 had scarcely uttered the word, when the young enthusiast dashed from the 

 spot, and, running as fast as possible, soon returned with the plant in his 

 hand. Many a happy hour was spent by young Pyppon with his new friend, 

 who purchased various articles from the shop that the boy might have to 

 bring them, and who, at length, succeeded in persuading his master to allow 

 more scope to his favourite pursuits. One long and happy day was granted, 

 in which Pyppon was permitted to accompany Dr. Clarke to Tornea, and the 

 parting was at last very bitter to the hitherto friendless boy. When the 

 traveller asked him what he should send him as a gift from England, he 

 replied with characteristic simplicity, and with eyes filled with tears, " If you 

 should remember me when you arrive in your country, send me Drosera 

 longifolia ; I am told it is a common plant in England." In explanation of 

 the name just used, it should be stated that D. intermedia and D. anglica 

 were formerly regarded as one species under Linnseus' name D. longifolia. 



3. Great Sundew {D. dnglica). — Leaves all fi-om the root, erect, oblong, 

 on very smooth stalks ; seeds with a loose chaffy coat. Plant perennial. 

 This is the rarest species, growing, like the others, in boggy places. Its 

 leaves are long and narrow. It occurs in some parts of Scotland, and in 

 Lancashire, Norfolk, Devonshire, and some other English counties, but is 

 more frequent in Ireland. 



Order XI. POLYGALEiE— MILKWORT TRIBE. 



Sepals 5, unequal, the two inner larger, generally petal-like ; petals 3 — 5, 

 unequal, more or less combined with the filaments ; stamens 8, in two equal 

 parcels ; anthers 1 -celled, opening by pores at the summit ; pistil 1 ; capsule 

 l__3.celled; seeds pendulous. This Order, though possessing but one genus 

 of British plants, has many exotic genera, several of which are well worthy 

 the attention of the gardener. They are either herbaceous or shrubby, and 

 some are remarkable for their beauty or neatness, and others for their 

 medicinal properties. Several of them are very small. Our native species 



