BY THE BIVBE AND THE STREAMLET. 183 



like flowers, its ovate leaflets, with a large terminal 

 and alternate small leaves. This is the Dropwort of 

 our ancestors, though the true dropwort is the 

 Spiraa filipendula, whose flowers are cream-tinted, 

 tipped with rose-colour. This is found in dry pastures ; 

 and by the woody margins of rivers the Willow-leaved 

 Dropwort (S. salicifolia) shows its branching shrubby 

 stem and dull rose-coloured flowers. 



By its side, though it does not attain its full beauty 

 until rather later, are the gloriously tinted spikes of 

 the Purple Loosestrife the "long purple" of the 

 Midland poets (Lythrwn salicaria). In all respects 

 save that of time, this lovely plant answers to the 

 " long purple " of Shakespeare, which is said to be the 

 meadow purple orchis. The purple loosestrife is 

 abundant on the banks of the Avon, near Stratford, on 

 stems fully a yard long. 



Before the loosestrife attains its full beauty, the 

 drooping purple flowers of the "Water- Avens (Qeum 

 rivale) have shown themselves where they grow, and 

 the sword-shaped leaves of the Corn-flag (/m pseud- 

 acorus) have raised their yellow banner aloft over the 

 stream or wet marsh. Its acrid root is said to have 

 some virtues in case of toothache, and is sufficiently 



