BOGS, MARSHES, WET PLACES—SUMMER 239 



little red-stalked glands ; five petals, about three times as long as 

 the sepals ; and many stamens, united to more than half way up 

 into three bundles. (See Plate V, Fig. 6.) 



The Blue Marsh Vetchling or Marsh Pea {Lathyrus palustris — 

 order Leguminoscc)is occasion- 

 ally to be met with in boggy 

 places, flowering from June to 

 August. It is a smooth plant, 

 with a weak, winged stem, 

 two or three feet long ; and 

 pinnate leaves consisting of 

 from two to four pahs of 

 narrow, sharp leaflets, and 

 terminating in a branched 

 tendril. At the base of each 

 leafstalk are two narrow, half 

 arrow-shaped stipules. The 

 flowers are of a bluish purple 

 colour, and are arranged in 

 one-sided racemes, of from 

 two to six flowers on long 

 stalks. The pods are smooth 

 and about an inch in length. 

 This plant is represented on 

 Plate V, Fig. 5. 



Some of the Willow-herbs 

 (Onagracece) are very partial 

 to wet and boggy j^laces. 

 A few species of other habitats 

 are described in Chapters X and 

 XI, and these, together with 

 the members that come within 

 the range of the present chap- 

 ter, are readily distinguished 

 by their willow-like leaves and 

 the very long inferior ovaries of their flowers, 

 three species — 



1. The Great Hairy Willow-herb or Codlins and Cream [Epilohium 

 hirsutum). — A large, erect, hairy plant, from three to six feet high, 

 with numerous underground suckers, and a stout, round, branched 

 stem. Its leaves are opposite, sessile, often clasping the stem. 



The PUKPIiE LOOSESTRIFE. 



We shall here note 



