n 4 FLOWERS OF THE WOODS AND COPSES 



The capsule contains few seeds, which fall when ripe around the 

 parent plant, but it also multiplies largely by bulbs. 



The Snowdrop is a sand-loving or clay-loving plant growing in 

 sand or clay with some little humus. 



The Snowdrop mildew (Sclerotinia galantkina) attacks it. 



G a/ant kus, Linnaeus, is from Greek ga/a, milk, antkos^ flower, from 

 the milk-white flower, and the second Latin name (from nivis, snow) 

 refers to the period of flowering, in winter, when snow is on the ground. 



This plant is called Candlemas Bells, Fair Maids, Fair Maids of 

 February, French Snowdrop, Purification Flower, Snowdrop, Snow- 

 flower, White Ladies. Ouida calls it White Ladies in Strathmore. 

 The Snowdrop is called Fair Maids of February on account of its 

 flowering in February. 



Legend has accumulated around so familiar a flower. Formerly 

 young women dressed in white and walked in procession on the 

 Feast of Purification, saying: 



" The snowdrop in purest white array, 

 First rears her head on Candlemas Day ". 



It was dedicated to the Virgin Mary the monks thought it bloomed 

 at this period in memory of the Virgin when she took the child 

 Jesus to the Temple and presented her offering, and because her 

 image was removed from the altar on the Feast of Purification and 

 snowdrops were strewed in its place. It is considered unlucky to bring 

 the first snowdrop of the year into a house, for " it looks for all the 

 world like a corpse in its shroud ". 



There is a beautiful legend that " An angel was sent to console 

 Eve mourning over the barren earth. No flower grew in Eden, and 

 driving snow kept falling and making a pall for Earth's funeral after 

 the fall. As the angel spoke, he caught a flake of falling snow, 

 breathed on it, and bade it take a form, and bud and blow. Ere it 

 reached the ground it had turned into a beautiful flower which Eve 

 prized more than all the other fair plants of Paradise. The angel 

 said : 



' This is an earnest, Eve, to thee, 

 That Sun and Summer soon shall be '. 



The angel departed, and a ring of snowdrops formed a lovely posy 

 where he stood." 



ESSENTIAL SPECIFIC CHARACTERS: 



298. Galanthus nwalis, L. Leaves linear, keeled, flowers white, 

 single, drooping, inner segments green, sepals exceeding the petals. 



