i 44 FLOWERS OF THE CORNFIELDS 



The capsule is a many-seeded fruit, and splits up transversely by 

 a circular fissure round the middle when ripe, and the seeds fall out 

 around the parent plant. 



The Scarlet Pimpernel is essentially a sand plant growing on sand 

 soil, usually where it is brought into use by cultivation. 



The Lepidoptera, Papilio machaon (the Swallow-tail Butterfly), 

 Zygeena purpuralis, and Angle Shades, Phlogophora meticulosa, are 

 the only ones that are found on the plant. 



The name Anagallis, Dioscorides, is of doubtful origin. The 

 second Latin name refers to its preference for arable land. Pimpernel 

 is from the Latin bipinnella, applied in the sixteenth century to plants 

 with bipinnate leaves. 



There are many names for this plant, as Bird's Eye, Bird's-tongue, 

 Shepherd's Clock, Female Pimpernel (the var. ccemled], John-go-to- 

 bed-at-noon, Male Pimpernel, Merecrop, Orange Lily Pernel, Pim- 

 pernel, Poor Man's Weather-glass, Shepherd's Calendar, Shepherd's 

 Delight, Shepherd's Glass, Shepherd's Sundial, Shepherd's Warning, 

 Shepherd's Watch, Sunflower, Tom Pimpernowl, Waywort, Winco- 

 pipe, Wink-a-peep, Weather-glass. 



The last name but one is given " from the habit the flower pos- 

 sesses of closing and winking in damp and opening or peeping again 

 in fine weather, and the same reason answers for Shepherd's Clock, 

 &c., and John-go-to-bed-at-noon ". 



" Boys that mark them shut so soon, 

 Call John that goes to bed at noon." CLARE. 



This common wild flower was said by the credulous to counteract 

 the evil designs of malevolent beings. The Scarlet Pimpernel was 

 once used as a cure for hydrophobia. The taste of the plant is acrid, 

 and it has been reported to have killed birds feeding upon it. The 

 name Anagallis has been derived from the Greek anagelao, laugh, 

 because it was used for liver complaints and removed low spirits. 

 One writer says the flower opens at eight minutes past seven and 

 closes at three minutes past two. 



ESSENTIAL SPECIFIC CHARACTERS: 



205. Anagallis arvensis, L. Stem prostrate or ascending, leaves 

 ovate, dotted beneath, sessile, flowers scarlet, axillary, solitary, petals 

 crenate, filaments free. 



