WOODS AND THICKETS IN SUMMER 



A LARGE number of the flowers that grow in woods bloom early in 

 the spring, before the buds of the trees have expanded, or, at least, 

 before the foliage is sufficiently dense to cover the ground with its 

 shadow. Some, however, are not so dependent on the direct rays 

 of the sun, but thrive even better in the shaded, moist atmosphere of 

 wooded ground. Others there are which seem grateful for the 

 warm rays of the summer sun, but grow to their greatest luxuriance 

 in the moist and partially -shaded ground of underwood and 

 thicket, trusting to the rigidity of their own erect stems, or to the 

 climbing habit which they have acquired, to bring theu- leaves and 

 blossoms in full view of the sun during some part of the day. 



Plants such as these are selected for description in this chapter ; 

 and although we may speak of their- flowers as the summer blossoms 

 of woods, thickets and copses, we must be prepared to meet with 

 several of them outside these habitats, particularly in damp places 

 that are more or less protected from the heat of the sun. 



Our first in this series is the Lime Tree (Tilia europcca) of the 

 order Tiliacece, which gro\\s wild in many of om- woods, but has 

 been planted to such an extent that it may be found in almost every 

 cultivated district except in the extreme North. Its loaves are 

 stalked, alternate, heart-shaped or broadly ovate, very pointed, 

 serrate, smooth above, and slightly downy below. The flowers, 

 which appear during June and July, are of a pale yellowish green 

 colour, and are arranged in cymes, on axillary, drooping peduncles 

 that are attached for nearly half their length to a long, leafy bract. 

 There arc five sepals, which fall early ; five petals ; and many 

 stamens that are united at their bases into clusters. The blossoms 

 have a very sweet scent, and produce such an abimdance of nectar 

 that they are very attractive to bees and other insects. The fruit 



