238 The Flora of Wiltshire. 



shell or testa be long in vegetating, were not the latter endued 

 with the faculty of spontaneously falling to pieces, and so exposing 

 the embryo to the action of air and moisture. 



2. L. arvense, (Linn.) Corn Gromwell, or Bastard Alkanet. 

 Engl. Bat. t. 123. 



Locality. Corn-fields, and dry waste cultivated ground, chiefly 

 on clay. A. Fl. May, July. Area, 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. More frequent 

 than the preceding. Leaves of a brighter green and rather more 

 hairy, without transverse veins or ribs. Corollas white. Calycine 

 segments thrice as long as the fruit. Nuts brown, polished, curiously 

 wrinkled and pitted, usually all perfected. 



Myosotis, (Linn.) Mouse-eak, Scorpion- gkass. 

 Linn. CI. V. Ord. i. 



Name. From {mus, muos,) Gr. a mouse, and {ous, otos,) Gr. an ear; 

 in allusion to the supposed resemblance to the leaves ; hence the 

 English name Mouse-ear. The name Scorpion-grass refers to the 

 form of the inflorescence, which in this plant and its allies resembles 

 the folding of the Scorpion's tail. 



1. M. palustris, (With,) marsh Scorpion-grass, or Forget-me-not. 

 Engl. Lot. t. 1973. St. 42, 2. 



Locality. Banks of the Avon, Canal, also in clean rivulets, and 

 ditches common. P. Fl. June, August. Area, 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 

 Generally distributed. Plant light green, with a somewhat greasy 

 lustre ; about 1 foot high. Flowers among the largest of our species, 

 bright blue, with a yellow eye, and a small white ray at the base 

 of each segment. This most elegant plant, the Forget-me-not, 

 considered to be the emblem of afiection in almost every part of 

 Europe, is the most distinct and best known example of its genus, 

 though too long confounded with other common species. The per- 

 ennial creeping roots, shining green herbage, and enamelled blos- 

 soms, are all strikingly characteristic. 



2. M. ccBspitosa, (Schultz.) tufted Water Scorpion-grass ; from 

 ccespes, a sod or turf. Borr. in Engl. Bot. SuppL t. 2661. St. 42, 7. 



Locality. In ditches, marshes, and wet places, on clay and bog. 

 B. Fl. June, July. Area, * * * 4. * 



