258 BORAGINE^ 



5. Scorpion-grass (Myosdtis). 



* TTairs on ihe calyx, all straight, and closely pressed to the surface. 



1. CreepingWater Scorpion-grass, or Forget-me-not (71/. j9fliMsfois). 

 — Calyx cleft to about a third of its length, open when in fruit ; teeth short, 

 triangular ; limb of the corolla flat, longer than the tube ; style about as long 

 as the calyx ; stem angular ; leaves somewhat blunt ; root creeping. The pale 

 l)ut bright blue enamel-like flowers of this plant often stand up among the 

 rich green leaves, which form masses on the borders of our rivers and stream- 

 lets, or grow partly under their crystal waters. Beautiful, indeed, are the 

 little islets on the streams from June to August, when the grasses and sedges 

 seem so much the greener from the refreshing influences of the moisture, and 

 bright flowers mingle among them. Mr. Noel well describes such places : — 



"Swift dragon-flies with their gauzy wings 

 Flit glistening to and fro ; 

 And murmuring hosts of moving things 

 O'er the waters gleam and glow : 



" There are spots where nestle wild-flowers small, 

 With many a mingling gleam ; 

 Where the broad flag waves, and the bulrush tall 

 Nods still to the thrusting stream. 



"The Forget-me-not on the water's edge 

 Reveals her lovely hue ; 

 Where the broken bank beneath the sedge 

 Is embroider'd with her blue." 



The flowers of this plant are among the largest and most beautiful of the 

 species, though they are not quite so large as those of the Rock Scorpion- 

 grass. They have a yellow eye, and a small white ray at the base of each 

 segment ; the stem is about a foot high, and both that and the leaves are of 

 uniform bright green, the stem being more or less downy, or sometimes quite 

 smooth. The little buds, which before expansion are pink, and form a small 

 coil at the top of the flower-stalk, gave to this and the rest of the genus the 

 name of Scorpion-grass : this form of cyme being also known as the scorpioid 

 cyme, the curl having suggested the tail of a scorpion. The legend to which 

 it owes its other name, as given by Mills, in his "Origin of Chivalry," is 

 well known, as is the diff"erent story by Miss Strickland ; yet our account 

 of the flower would be incomplete were we to omit their repetition. Accord- 

 ing to the former writer, a knight was wandering by a stream with the 

 lady whom he loved, the music of his words according well to the music of 

 its tune. The maiden, glancing into the clear waters, saw the enamelled blue 

 flowers, and wished to possess them. They must have grown at some distance 

 from the shore, probably on a little islet in mid-stream, or on the farther bank ; 

 and, as it is said that woman loves best that which is most hard to come at, 

 this circumstance may have added to her desire. The hapless man, plunging 

 into the stream to gather them, was borne away by the current, but, making 

 one last effort, he threw the flowers on the shore, exclaiming, "Forget me 

 not !" and sank beneath the waters. It would be hard to criticise too 

 minutely the touching tale, which is current throughout Europe, and which 

 Bishop Mant has pleasantly told in verse, concluding with these lines : — 



