1 1 C ARYOPH YLLE^ 



shelter the flowers so well, and the sun shines on them so fully, that plants 

 peculiar to the chalk could hardly find a better place of growth. Many a 

 wanderer goes thither in the earlier part of the day, and brings home nose- 

 gays of horned -poppy, and viper's-bugloss, and sea -lavender, and pink 

 centaury. Many such a one sees the Catchfly, and passes it by, deeming it 

 a plant which has lost its bloom, and is all unfit to mingle with gayer, 

 fresher flowers ; he can at that time detect neither beauty nor odour. These 

 are truly — 



" The flowers that shun the blaze of noon, 



To blow beneath the midnight moon ; 



The garish world they will not bless, 



But only live in loneliness. " 



This platit received the name of Nottingham Catchfly, because it is common 

 in the neighlxnirhood of that town. It is found also on the cliffs of the Isle 

 of Wight, and on the mountain-limestone rocks of Orme's Head, as well as 

 on the rocks about Knaresborough, in Yorkshire, Dovedale, and other places, 

 growing in more or less abundance. Its profusion on the cliffs of Dover 

 gained for it in former days the name of Dover Catchfly. It is the SiUne 

 paradoxa of our older botanists. It retains its peculiarity of opening only in 

 the evening, even after it is gathered ; and its scent is then almost too 

 powerful to be borne in a room. It may be raised from seed in a garden, if 

 the soil is chalky ; but the odoiff there is not so powerful as when in its 

 wild state, and in such cases as are known to the author, the plant soon 

 degenerates. 



7. Italian Catchfly (S. ifdlica). — Stems erect, downy, l>earing several 

 flowers ; branches opposite, with blunt teeth ; petals deeply cleft, not crowned ; 

 root-leaves on long stalks, tapering at the base ; stem-leaves without stalks, 

 long and narrow. Plant perennial. The white flowers of this rare plant 

 expand in July and August, and much resemble those of the Nottingham 

 Catchfly ; Init this species may be distinguished by its longer and blunter 

 calyx. The plant is downy, and the panicles are somewhat clammy. It is 

 certainly not a truly wild flower, but has been found on Dover cliffs and in 

 the neighbourhood of Dartford. 



8. Striated Corn Catchfly (aS*. cunica). — Stem erect, forked ; leaves 

 narrow, downy ; petals crowned ; calyx of the fruit conical. Plant annual. 

 This is a rare species of Catchfly, with small flowers of a purplish-red colour, 

 several of which grow on short stalks on a stem from six to twelve inches 

 high, flowering from May to J^ily. The calyx of the fruit, which is conical 

 in form, is said by the Rev. C. A. Johns to have thirty furrows, while that 

 of the SiUne nodifldra is ten-ril)bed. Minute as distinctions of this kind are, 

 they are quite constant, exciting the admiration of every thoughtful observer, 

 and affording an evidence of the continual care of God over all His creation. 

 And as we trace these proofs of design, we are reminded of the words of 

 the poet : — 



" Suppose that on awaking " Suppose until that moment 



Some morning from repose, We ne'er had seen a flower, — 



We saw the green earth studded o'er That one had never graced the earth, 



With every flower that blows : Even in Eden's bower ; 



