WHITE CAMPION 



in 



evening (hence vespertina, another name), and are pure white, suitable 

 for crepuscular or evening visits. The stamens and pistil vary in 

 length. 



Of the diurnal or clay visitors only pollen - seekers could obtain 

 anything. It is thus adapted to night-fliers. The anthers ripen two at 

 a time. The Elephant Hawk moth visits it and cross-pollinates it. 



The seeds of White Campion are dispersed by the wind like many 

 of the Caryophyllaceai. The capsule or seed vessel opens at the top 



Photo. J. H. Crabtr 



WHITE CAMPION (Lychnis alba, Mill.) 



when ripe, and allows the seeds to be hurled to a distance by the 

 wind or when the stem is shaken by passing animals. 



It is a sand -loving plant, requiring primarily a sand soil, which 

 is furnished by very different rock formations, the older Palaeozoic, 

 and even Oolitic or Cretaceous formations. 



Two fungi, Ascochvta cookei and Ustilago violacea, infest this plant, 

 but no insects. 



The name Lychnis, Theophrastus, is from the Greek lychnos, lamp, 

 in reference to the cottony substance on some species being used 

 for lamp wicks. Alba refers to the white flowers. 



It is called Bachelor's Buttons, White Bachelor's Buttons, Bull- 

 rattle, White Campion, Cowmack, Cow-rattle, Cuckoo flower (White 



