IN THE WOODLANDS. 123 



of the simple stem. The plant flowers as early as May 

 in favourable spots, but remains until the autumn on 

 the ground, where, as it withers away, it may be known 

 by its turning of a blackish or bluish-green colour. 



The tall, sturdy, umbelliferous plant so common in 

 woods where the ground is marshy, is the Wild Ange- 

 lica (Angelica sylvestris). It is difficult to distinguish 

 sometimes from the Cow Parsnip (Herac'leum splwn- 

 df/liiim}, which is, however, a coarser plant, and cloea 

 not partake of the purplish tint of the flower and stem 

 of the Angelica. 



As we leave the summer woodlands, we shall pro- 

 bably see the piukish-purple butterfly blossoms of the 

 Bitter Vetch (Lathyrus macrorldzus) . Each blossom 

 is marked by purple veins, and are on long stall; ed 

 axillary racemes. The plant gi'ows about a foot high, 

 and its two or three pairs of leaflets are of a sea-green 

 hue. In Surrey this plant is frequent, and it is com- 

 mon in the north of Scotland, where the Highlanders 

 eat the tuberous roots under the name of'Corneillc. 

 They dry them, and chew them with their liquor with 

 a view to keep off hunger. Under the name of heath 

 pea the roots have been frequently used as food. Tiio 

 cream-coloured, blue-streaked flowers of the Wood 



