92 FAMILIAR WILD f LOWERS. 



eight in number, four being considerably longer than the 

 other four ; the stigma four-cleft ; the lobes spreading, and 

 forming a cross-like form at the summit of the style ; the 

 capsular fruit long and slender, splitting open when ripe, 

 and disclosing the numerous small and downy seeds. As 

 the segments of the fruit dry and curl back, the seeds are 

 liberated, and, by means of the tuft of hairs with which 

 they are each terminated, they are dispersed by the wind. 



The generic name, Epilobium, is a very happy one; it is 

 derived from two Greek words, signifying upon and pod, 

 from the growth of the flowers on the summits of the pod- 

 like ovaries. Montanum is Latin, and signifies pertaining 

 to mountains, a not very appropriate designation for a 

 plant that is abundant almost everywhere. The English 

 names, willow-herb and willow-weed, were suggested 

 evidently by the shape of the leaves, though the leaves of 

 the various species of willow, while partaking of much of 

 the character of the plant we figure, are more slender in 

 proportion to their breadth. 



