in the Vicinity of Boston. 375 



Gerardia. 



By far the best way of propagating- our gerardias, is said 

 to be from the seeds sown in autumn. The flowers of tliis 

 genus are shaped much like those of foxglove, and grow in 

 abundance near Mount Auburn. 



Gerardia fldva Yellow Gerardia, or False Foxglove. This 

 species, and the two next, are some of the most showy of 

 our wild wood flowers. Stem hairy, about two feet high, 

 with few, if any branches. Leaves dark, rusty green ; up- 

 per ones lance-formed, blunt-pointed, with or without serra- 

 tures or notches ; but the lower leaves are often pinnatified 

 or cut-winged, or nearly in the form of a white-oak leaf. 

 Flowers large (for the genus), bright yellow, rather trumpet- 

 shaped, opposite, on a few flowered, terminal spike. — Woods. 

 — August. 



Gerardia glauca^ or Gerardia qucrcifblia Fall or Glaucous 

 Gerardia. A taller, if not " handsomer" plant than the last, 

 which it resembles, especially in the form and color of its 

 flowers. Stem from three to five feet high, panicle-like, 

 or divided and subdivided, more or less purple, covered with 

 a glaucous powder. Leaves petioled or stemmed, and of a 

 lighter green (especially on the under side) than those of 

 the Gerardia flava ; likewise, more pinnatified, or more 

 deeply and finely cut, than those of the G. flava, which 

 blossoms earlier. Flowers yellow. — Woods. — August. 



Gerardia pediculdria Bushy Gerardia. Has a considera- 

 ble family likeness to the Gerardia quercifolia, especially in 

 its flowers ; but is much more bushy. About two feet high, 

 much branched, or brachiate-panicled. Leaves oblong, 

 doubly serrate. Flowers bright yellow, and very elegant in 

 their structure. This species may be distinguished from the 

 others, by the five remarkable spreading notched leaves, 

 which are on the top of the calyx, and are complete minia- 

 tures (both in shape and color) of the proper leaves on the 

 other parts of the plant. Blossons later than Gerardia glau- 

 ca. — Woods. — August. 



Geum. 

 Giwn rivdle Water Avens. A fine plant, conspicuous in 

 meadows for its high, nodding, dark-colored flowers. Stem 

 about eighteen inches high, round, erect, drooping at top. 

 Root leaves interruptedly pinnate (as in the compound leaf 

 of the potato), the tip leafet being lobed or parted, and the 

 whole serrate and hairy. Flowers terminal, two or three 

 being on the end of a stalk ; with a ten-leaved calyx, reddish 

 brown (or chockolate color), closed with five petals, erect, 

 heart-shaped, hardly rising above the calyx, and variegated 

 with yellow and purple. — Meadows. — May, June. 



