BY THE BIVEE8 AND THE STBEAMLETB. 229 



Its toothed downy leaves clasp the stem, which is fre- 

 quently upwards of a yard high. Its root was the basis 

 of the confection known by the name of the flower, and 

 is still used with candied horehound as a pectoral medi- 

 cine. The Fleabane (Pulicaria dysenterica) is anotner 

 of these yellow flowers, with golden rays surrounding 

 a disk, but is much smaller. Its wrinkled downy leaves 

 are greyish in hue, and clasp the stem. The plant is 

 bitter, but what special antipathy fleas have to its smoke 

 would probably be difficult to discover. The Bur Mari- 

 gold (B-idens tripartite?) received its name from its 

 bristly bur-like seeds. The yellow rays are dull-looking, 

 and are frequently absent altogether from the dirty, 

 greenish-looking disk. There are two varieties of this 

 flower, not uncommon; but the difference between 

 them is very slight : the foliage marks the distinction. 

 Of a very different appearance is the tall and grace- 

 ful yellow Loosestrife (LysimacMa vulgar is), or "Willow 

 Herb, whose star-like yellow flowers grow amongst the 

 leaves, on a stem two feet high. The smaller variety 

 (LysimacJiia nummularia) is of a creeping habit, and 

 is fond of the sparkling rivulet and dashing cascade. 

 It is frequently known under the name of moneywort, 

 from its round foliage. 



