White and Greenish 



nate, lower ones on long petioles, 6 to 10 in. long, pinnately 

 divided into 5 to 7 oblong, sharply toothed, acute leaflets or 

 segments ; upper leaves similar, but smaller, and with fewer 

 divisions. 



Preferred Habitat Rich, moist woods. 



Flowering Season May August. 



Distribution Quebec to South Carolina, west to Kansas and 

 Washington. 



So very many flowers especially adapted to the bumblebee 

 are in bloom when the cymes of the water-leaf uncoil, like the 

 borages, from their immature roll, that some special inducement 

 to attract this benefactor were surely needed. In high altitudes 

 the clusters became deeper hued; but much as the more special- 

 ized bees love color, food appeals to them far more. Accordingly 

 the five lobes of each little flower stand erect to increase the dif- 

 ficulty a short-tongued insect would have to drain its precious 

 stores ; the stamens are provided with hairs for the same reason ; 

 and even the calyx is bristly, to discourage crawling ants, the worst 

 pilferers out. By these precautions against theft, plenty of nectar 

 remains for the large bees. To prevent self-fertilization, pollen is 

 shed on visitors, which remove it from a newly opened flower be- 

 fore the stigmas become receptive to any; but in any case these 

 are elevated in maturity above the anthers, well out of harm's 

 way. 



Early in spring the large lower leaves are calculated to hold 

 the drip from the trees overhead, hence the plant's scientific and 

 popular names. 



Jamestown Weed; Thorn Apple; Stramo- 

 nium; Jimson Weed; Devil's Trumpet 



(Datura Stramonium} Potato family 



Flowers Showy, large, about 4 in. high, solitary, erect, growing 

 from the forks of branches. Calyx tubular, nearly half as 

 long as the corolla, 5-toothed, prismatic; corolla funnel- 

 form, deep-throated, the spreading limb 2 in. across or less, 

 plaited, 5-pointed ; stamens 5 ; i pistil. Stem : Stout, branch- 

 ing, smooth, i to 5 ft. high. Leaves : Alternate, large, rather 

 thin, petioled, egg-shaped in outline, the edges irregularly 

 wavy-toothed or angled, rank-scented. Fruit : A densely 

 prickly, egg-shaped capsule, the lower prickles smallest. 

 The seeds and stems contain a powerful narcotic poison. 



Preferred Habitat Light soil, fields, waste land near dwellings, 

 rubbish heaps. 



Flowering Season -June September. 



248 



