IN THE CORN FIELD 



293 



with leaflets divided into very narrow, almost hairlike segments ; 

 and the tiower-heads are rather large, with white ray and yellow 

 disc, solitary on the tops of leafy stalks. The involucre bracts are 

 acute ; the receptacle conical ; and ray florets always possess a style. 

 The Stinking Chamomile or Stinking Mayweed (Anthemis 

 Cotiila) is another similar 

 corn-field plant, but it may 

 be readily recognised by the 

 minute glands dotted over 

 its surface, the acrid secretion 

 of which emits a foetid odour 

 when rubbed, and often 

 blisters the hand. The plant 

 is generally smooth, \\ith an 

 erect, branched stem, from 

 nine to fifteen inches high; 

 and pinnate leaves with leaf- 

 lets divided into short, 

 narrow, pointed lobes. The 

 flowers are similar to those 

 of the previous species, on 

 the tops of long, leafy stalks ; 

 but the receptacle, at first 

 convex, lengthens to a tall 

 cone ; and the white ray- 

 florets have no style. The 

 involucre bracts are also very 

 narrow, bristly at the top ; 

 and the fruits are rendered 

 rough by numerous little 

 glandular projections. This 

 plant flowers from June to 

 September. 



The Corn Bellflower or Wild Venus's Looking-glass {Campanula 

 hyhrida), of the order Campannlacew, is not uncommon in the corn- 

 fields of the chalky districts of South and East England. It is 

 an erect plant, from six to ten inches high, bearing purple, blue, 

 or (occasionally) white flowers from July to September. In addition 

 to the general features shown in our illustration we may note that 

 its long, inferior ovary is three-angled ; and that the fruit splits, 

 when ripe, by the formation of slits near the top. 



The Climbing Bistort. 



