368 THE RIVER-SIDE NATURALIST. 



The BUR-MARIGOLD (Bidens). There are two species, 

 met with chiefly on the margins of lakes and ponds and 

 small rivulets. The Bidens tripartita (Fig. in " E. B.," 94), 

 also known as the Three-Lobed Bur-Marigold, Bastard 

 Agrimony, Water-Hemp, Double-Foot. The stem rises 

 from one to three feet in height ; leaves pointed, dark- 

 green, and strongly toothed, divided into three parts. The 

 flowers are solitary, terminal, brownish-yellow, and some- 

 what drooping. Flowers July. 



The NODDING BUR-MARIGOLD (Bidens cernnd) Fig. in 

 " E. B.," 93 has undivided leaves and larger flowers. 

 Flowers June to August. 



The CELERY- LEAVED CROWFOOT (Ranunculus sceleratus) 

 Fig. in " E. B.," 27 is found by the margins of pools and 

 ditches. The stem is stout and succulent, leaves glabrous, 

 lower ones broad and glossy. Flowers extremely small 

 and pale yellow. The plant grows one to two feet high. 

 Flowers June. 



The GREAT WILD VALERIAN (Valeriana officinalis) Fig. in 

 " E. B.," 666 from valeo, to be powerful is very abundant 

 on the banks of our rivers and pools. The plant grows 

 from three to four feet in height. Its lower leaves are on 

 long foot-stalks. Its pale flesh-coloured flowers on the 

 high green flowering-stalk render it very conspicuous. 



The root is tuberous, very aromatic. Cats are very 

 fond of the scent of the root, and it will also attract rats. 

 When cats rub themselves on this root, is it for the purpose 

 of attracting the rats ? The leaves are much used by the 

 poor as an application to fresh wounds, and it is sometimes 

 called All -Heal. Flowers June and July. 



The SWEET- FLAG or SWEET- RUSH (A corns calamus) Fig. 

 in "E. B.," 1391 is not very common in the southern and 

 western districts. It is found on the banks of rivers in 

 the middle and south-eastern counties, and plentiful in 

 Norfolk and Suffolk. We have found it on the Itchen, 

 Test, Kennet, and Thames. The root is very aromatic, 

 with a bitter acrid taste. The leaves upright and sword- 

 shaped, bright green in colour, sheathing one another, 

 about an inch broad, and from two to three feet high. 



