60 FAMILIAR WILD FLOWERS. 



will therefore probably never come across it. The whole 

 plant is very smooth and shining- in appearance, and, like 

 many other water-plants, very succulent. It is a perennial, 

 and will ordinarily be found in flower by about the middle 

 of May, lasting more or less freely in blossom until late 

 in the autumn. 



The brooklime was at one time in great favour as an 

 anti-scorbutic. It was generally taken in combination 

 with the watercress, but such a use for it seems now 

 wholly a thing of the past. 



The genus to which the brooklime belongs is represented 

 in Britain by sixteen species, and of these our readers may 

 fairly hope to find twelve. The peculiar form of the 

 blossom, the monopetalous corolla cut into a cross-like form, 

 but having the lower segment always smaller than any of 

 the others, its fugacious character, and the two stamens, 

 are all points in common, and will greatly tend to aid the 

 identification of any of the other speedwells. Most of the 

 species have either entirely blue or blue-and-white flowers, 

 though in a few cases they are pinkish. 



