9 



FLOWERS OF THE CORNFIELDS 



different flower. In the Mouse-tail it is yellow, and the petals are 

 clawed. The flowers are borne on single scapes. 



The sepals, 5-7, are closely parallel with the scape, and there is a 

 scale at base. The Mouse-tail is 2-6 in. high. It is in flower from 

 April to June. It is annual, coming up year by year in the same 

 district. 



The flowers are proterandrous, i.e. the anthers ripen first. After 

 the anthers have withered, the top of the ovary elongates into a long 

 cone and develops the stigmas. The elongation of the pistil axis makes 

 possible the self-pollination of the neighbouring- 

 stigmas by means of the few anthers, which 

 lie close around, the pollen emerging gradually 

 by two lateral slits, the elongated axis (i-ij 

 in.) bringing fresh stigmas in contact with 

 the anthers. The Mouse -tail is pollinated 

 by flies, Diptera, Sciara, Chironomus, Scat ope, 

 Phora, Cecidomyia, Oscinis, Microphorus, 

 Pteromalidce, Ichneiimonidce, Haltica, Antho- 

 myia, Melanostoma mellina. 



The fruit of the Mouse-tail is dispersed 

 by the plant's own special mechanism. The 

 achenes or fruits are small, numerous, and dis- 

 persed by the falling of the fruits around the 

 parent plant. The styles do not fall off. 



The Mouse-tail is a sand plant, frequent- 

 ing districts with a sand soil, derived chiefly 

 from the older sandy formations, from which 



are derived sandy loam, or one inclined to be oolitic, not limy or 

 gritty. It is also found on the chalk. 



No fungal pests attack it, nor is it a food plant for insects. 

 Dodonceus invented the name Myosurus (Greek muos, mouse, and 

 oura, tail) from the shape of the scape, while minimus is Latin for 

 very small. 



Mouse-tail and Blood Strange are its only names. 

 Parkinson in the last connection refers to it as styptic, and says: 

 " Blood-strange, I think corruptly from blood-staying". 

 ESSENTIAL SPECIFIC CHARACTERS: 



4. Myosurus minimus, L. Sepals 5, spurred, petals with filiform 

 claw, tubular, honey gland at base, 5 stamens, carpels imbricate, borne 

 on a long scape, the seed pendulous. 



MOUSE-TAIL (Myosurus 

 minimus, L. ) 



