Wild Plants in the Vicinity of Boston. 453 



Art. III. Beautiful Plants growins: wild in the Vicinitrj of 

 Boston. By E. 13. Kenrick, VVatcrlown. 



{Continued from page 418.) 

 All these plants are pcremiial, unless iiitiuuitioii is given to the contrary. 



OxALls. 



OxaUs violilcca. Violet wood sorrel. " A liandsome spe- 

 cies." Leaves heart-formed, with the pointed end at the stem, 

 like the other species of this genus. Flowers violet-colored. 

 The leaves and flowers of this plant are much larger tlian those 

 of our counnon wood sorrel. — Rare. — Rocky woods, Brook- 

 line, Connecticut ; also, has been found near Nonantum flill, 

 Newton. — April to June. 



Pedicularia. 



Pediculdria canadensis . Wood Clover. One of the most 

 showy of our early flowering herbaceous plants ; especially 

 where it grows in patches in woods or pastures. It has 

 exactly the taste of red clover ; though its appearance is 

 very different. Stem erect, less than one foot high, downy 

 at top. Leaves dark green, lanceolate, with scolloped obtuse 

 lobes, or leaves cut-winged, gash-toothed. Flowers in a head- 

 formed spike, terminal, hairy, leafy at base. Calyx five 

 leaved, cut downwards ; corolla yellow, or purple, or both ; 

 the upper lip forming a long helmet, its point square, with a 

 small acute tooth on each side, while the lower lip is three 

 lobed. The flowers turn to the right, so that the spike has a 

 twisted appearance. Generally, several stems grow from one 

 root ; which adds much to the show. — Woods and pastures. — 

 May to July. 



POGONIA. 



Pogonia ophioglossoldes, or Jlrethibsa ophioglossoides. Snake- 

 nioulh Arethusa. A curious little plant, with a flesh-colored 

 flower, in the form of a snake's head. Root fibrous. Stem 

 erect, one flowered, rarely two flowered. Leaves two ; one 

 of them near the middle of the stem, oval, and sheathing at 

 base ; the other near the flower, oval-lanceolate, and much 

 smaller than the former. Flower light purple, nodding, the lip 

 of its nectary fringed at the edge, and spreading. — Meadows. — 

 June, July. 



POLYGALA. 



Polygala paucifolia. Fringed Polygala. A beautiful plant, 

 three or four inches high, with purple flowers. The leaves 

 grow mostly at the top of the stem ; and immediately above 

 are seen three or four very handsome purple flowers, crested 

 somewhat like a cock's comb. Calyx leaves five, the upper- 



