THE FAERY YEAR 



lungwort " Jerusalem ^cowslips " of the villagers 

 in bloom a fortnight ago in a much less sheltered 

 district ; indeed, in many cottage gardens it has 

 been out in February and the beginning of March, 

 with the scented mezereon that looks like a stunted 

 almond tree. My friend says that a week ago he 

 was searching " under heavily-laden hazel trees, 

 whose ripe pollen fell in clouds, for the narrow- 

 leaved lungwort, a plant only found on the tertiary 

 beds. It was out in full beauty, two plants seldom 

 bearing petals of the same shade. The leaves have 

 a beauty of their own, for the paler blotches of 

 green upon their surface give them a singular 

 appearance. Like the dark patches upon the 

 leaves of arum and purple orchid, they are difficult 

 to explain. One can understand it being due to 

 specialized chlorophyll, but what is its mission in 

 the realm of plant life ? " In the Island, near 

 Shanklin, daffodils cover acres of woodland. Taken 

 from the wild to the garden, they often refuse to 

 blossom. Butchers' broom and lesser periwinkle 

 are also flowering profusely. 



My friend raises a curious question about the 

 spotted leaves of lungwort. I have often wondered 

 why purple orchid and arum leaves are blotched 

 with dark brown or black. One theory is easily 

 suggested it is an advertisement to catch the eye 

 of insects so that these may come and bear pollen 

 from bloom to bloom when presently the plant 

 ripens its pollen. Certainly the spotted leaves may 

 make the plants more conspicuous. But with 

 60 



