The addition of Chalcedonica may possibly be derived 

 from Chalcedon, a city of Bithynia, on the Asiatic coast of 

 the Black Sea, over against Constantinople. 



Gerard tells us the flower in question was called " Flow- 

 er of Constantinople, and Campion of Constantinople." He 

 also calls it Lychnis Chalcedonica. 



Lychnis was formerly used by botanists for all the Cam- 

 pion tribe, though now restricted by Linnaeus and his follow- 

 ers to one particular genus of that family. 



The L. Chalcedonica, is said to grow wild in all parts of 

 Russia and Siberia. It is one of the chief ornaments of mo- 

 dern flower gardens. A hardy perennial, very showy, and 

 remarkable for the rich vivid scarlet of its blossoms, especial- 

 ly when double. These appear about June, forming a large, 

 dense, convex, terminal tuft, two or three inches wide, with 

 flowers of five petals, border flat, wedge-shaped, often divi- 

 ded. Calyx perianth inferior, of one leaf, oblong, tubular, 

 membranous, five toothed, permanent. Seeds somewhat kid- 

 ney-shaped, roughish. The stem is several feet high, round, 

 hairy, leafy, but little branched. Leaves ovate, rough, some- 

 what undulated. 



SNAP DRAGON. 

 Antirrhinum. 



Antirrhinum, from the Greek VTI (L. tequalis,) equal, 

 and $> v (L. nasus,) a nose. JEqualis defined by Ains worth, 

 (2) " of the same shape, or stature, as another." 



On pressing the sides of this flower, it opens like a gaping 

 mouth, the stigma appearing to represent the tongue; on re- 

 moving the pressure, the lips of the corolla snap together, 

 and hence its name. Some have traced a resemblance to a 

 calfs snout in the form of its seed vessel, or fruit. 



The monopetalous corolla forms a mask, which resem- 

 bles the face of an animal. 



There are many American species, of various colours. 

 The Calyx is a five-leafed perianth, permanent. Corolla 

 nectariferous, ringent. Nectary at the base of the corolla, 

 produced downwards, prominent. 



SNOW BALL. 



Viburnum. 

 (See Laurustinus.) 



Viburnum Opulus, Common Guelder-rose, Water El- 

 der, or Snow Ball, is an European shrub, or small tree, smooth 

 in all its parts, only the backs of the leaves being occasion- 

 ally downy. Their three lobes are unequally toothed or ser- 

 rated. Their foot-stalks bear towards the top, several cup- 

 like glands, and towards the base, a pair or two of linear sti- 

 pules. Cymes large, smooth, stalked, of numerous white 

 flowers. Berries scarlet. A variety with globose cymes, 

 composed entirely of radiant powers, is commonly cultivated 

 in gardens. 



The balls that hang like drifted snow, 

 Upon the guelder-rose. 



London. 



Here the Guelder-rose shall fling 

 Silver treasures to the spring. 



Her silver globes, light as the foamy surf, 

 That the wind severs from the broken wave. 



L.E.L. 



Cowper. 



SNOW DROP. 



Galanthus. 



Galanthus, L. from the Greek yx., milk, and i/So ; , a 

 flower; alluding to its milky whiteness. 



The G. nivalis, or common Snow Drop, is the only spe- 

 cies noticed in this genus. It has two varieties, the semi- 

 double and double flowered. An European plant. It is the 

 first flower that appears after the winter solstice. 



Warm with sweet blushes, bright Galantha glows, 

 And prints, with frolic step, the melting snows. 



* * # * 



Chides with her dulcet voice the tardy spring, 

 Bids slumbering Zephyr stretch his folded wing. 



Darwin. 



Fair handed spring unbosoms every grace, 

 Throws out the Snow-drop and the crocus first. 



Thomson. 



As Flora's breath, by some transforming power, 

 Had changed an icicle into a flower, 

 Its name, and hue, the scentless plant retains, 

 And winter lingers in its icy veins. Mrs. Barbauld, 



Calyx, a spatha, opening at the flat side, permanent. 

 Corolla of six petals, the three innermost shortest, emargi- 

 nate. Bulbous rooted. 



SORREL. 

 Oxalis. 



Oxalis, L. from the Gr. o|;, sour; a name adopted from 

 the Greeks; whose oxalis, however, is probably the ucctosa 

 of the Latins, and belongs to the genus rumex. 



Skinner derives the name sorrel from the word sour. 

 And both the oxalis and rumex have species noted for the 

 peculiar and grateful acid of their leaves; the plants are de- 

 signated as the wild sorrel, (oxalis,) and garden sorrel, (ru- 

 mex,) the latter much used in French cookery, the former 

 admired for the delicate beauty of its flowers. 



Thirteen species of the curious and pretty genus Oxalis, 

 are natives of America; many of the Cape of Good Hope; 

 only two of Great Britain. 



The Calyx is a perianth of five leaves. Corolla of 

 five petals connected by their claws, obvate, obtuse, emargi- 

 nate, spreading. Seeds with an elastic tunic of two valves. 

 Leaves generally ternate, or three-leafed. Some varieties 

 have twin leaves, others simple leaves. 



The species most abundant in Virginia have pink or lilac 

 flowers variously shaded sometimes a bright yellow : farther 

 north it is found of a pale yellow, delicately pencilled with 

 crimson, or a pure white, pencilled with pink or purple. 



See trim oxalis with her pencilled flower. Evans. 



In woodland bowers, 

 There spring the sorrePs veined leaves. 



Charlotte Smith. 



