114) WILD FLOWEES Of 



The country people extract a species of ointment from 

 the flowers and use it for chest complaints. "We have 

 no less than seven native species of mullein, but many 

 of them are scarce. The Moth Mullein (Verbascum 

 llattaria) received its name from the real or supposed 

 dislike Eome kinds of insects are said to have to its 

 leaves. The yellow Hoary Mullein (Verlascum pul- 

 verulentiiiii) has a quantity of meally down on its 

 leaves, and its flowers, which are exceedingly nume- 

 rous, are so slightly attached to the stem as -to fall off 

 on the stem being shook; the calyx then closes round 

 the germen immediately. 



Sometimes the St. John's "Wort (Hypericuni) may 

 be found by the road-side, though it belongs to the 

 woodlands. The Galium family are more common. 

 The common Cleavers (Galium aparine) are known to 

 everybody under the name of goosegrass, catchweed, 

 tongue-bleed, or harriff (hairrougli ?) . They cling to 

 the hedgerows, and force their way to the tops of the 

 bushes by means of the minute hooks with which 

 every portion of the plant is armed. The leaves ars 

 arranged in whorls, and the minute white flowers are 

 succeeded by small bristly seeds, which cling to the 

 dresses of the passers by. Its name goosegrass was 



