2 ONAGEAEI^ 



perennial. A variety of this plant occurs very commonly in gardens, having 

 larger flowers and shorter capsules, which is sometimes called E. brachy- 

 carjyum ; this is occasionally found as an escape from gardens. This Willow- 

 herb is a rare plant in moist woods in England, though less so in Scotland. 

 Some botanists have thought it to be not truly wild, but it has long estab- 

 lished itself, and, in some woods, as in those about Wrington, in Somerset- 

 shire, whole acres of ground are covered with it ; and it occurs in many parts 

 of North Wales. It does not seem to have been common in Gerarde's time, 

 for he mentions one place only where it might be found. "It groweth," he 

 says, " in Yorkshire, in a place called the Hooke, neere unto a close, called 

 the Cow-pasture, from whence I had these plants, which doe grow in my 

 garden, very goodly to behold, for the decking up of houses and gardens." 

 The old herbalist describes it as a " goodly and stately plant, having leaves 

 like the greatest willow, or ozier. The branches," he says, " come out of the 

 ground in great number, growing to the height of sixe foote, garnished with 

 brave flowers of greate beautie, consisting of fower leaves apiece, of an orient 

 purple colour." The variety so common in gardens, often, by its profusion 

 there, occasions much trouble to the gardener, not so much by the seed 

 which it produces, as the roots which creep to a great distance, and take a 

 very firm hold of the soil ; and if by chance the common form of the plant 

 is introduced, as it often is, instead of the variety, it is far worse, as this 

 l)ears seeds in abundance, and as each seed has a little silky feather attached 

 to it, it wafts itself away over garden and shrubbery during August and 

 September, and comes up in profusion in the following April. This plant, 

 is from four to six feet in height, bearing showy rose-purple flowers in 

 August ; its stem and flower-stalk are much tinged with lilac. It is 

 called by gardeners French Willow, and in France one of its common names 

 is Laurier de St. Anioine, after St. Anthony, the first founder of monastic 

 institutions. 



Rare as this plant is on the English landscape, yet in some countries 

 towards the north of Europe, it, by its profusion and bright colour, gives 

 during its season a characteristic feature to the landscape. The border of 

 the lake near Tornea is described as beautified during summer with large 

 masses of this plant, which towers over the brink of the water, displaying 

 everywhere the most gaudy garlands, even on spots where vegetation in 

 general seems dwarfed and barren. In Kamtschatka, this and other 

 Efilohiums are exceedingly abundant, and mingle with most showy and 

 brilliant species of groundsel (Senecio), to beautify large tracts of land. Both 

 plants contribute greatly to the physiognomy of the landscape, for the 

 groundsel plants, as tall as a man, and laden with flowers, frequently cover 

 the meadows with a fine yellow colour ; while a splendid red tint is given 

 to wood-sides and rivers by the Willow-herb. 



Both the English and scientific names of this genus are very appropriate. 

 Several of the larger species, before coming into flower, closely resemble the 

 rods of a willow in the first year of their growth, only that they are 

 herbaceous instead of woody. The name Epilohium describes with much 

 accuracy the position of the petals : epi, on, lohos, the long pod-like seed- 

 vessel, which at first sight might be taken for a flower-stalk. It is quad- 



