94 FLOWERS OF THE HEATHS AND MOORS 



hanging capsules is thick and woody, the thick part is egg-shaped and 

 drawn into a blunt neck, with a long sharp point which extends into 

 the capsule, the broader end being at the base, constituting the outline 

 of the valve. There is a shallow groove in the centre, and, when ripe, 

 this is convex on the inner face, hollow on the outer, breaking away 

 from the rest of the capsule, and the thin edges turn outwards. 



The seeds are large, oblong, broader at the end opposite the hilum, 

 biconvex, with a thin narrow margin. The testa is bright brown, 

 polished, and smooth. 



The capsule is perforated at the bottom or base, so that the seeds 

 are scattered by the wind. It is 3-celled. 



The Bluebell is a peat-loving plant, luxuriating in a humus soil on 

 moor, heath, and wayside, on various rock soils. 



The fungi Puccinia campanula, Coleosporium campanula occur on 

 it, and it is galled by Cecidomyia campanula and Miarus campanula. 



Two Hymenoptera, Cilissa hamorrhoidalis, Cheilostoma campanu- 

 larum, and the moths Large Ranunculus (Hadena flavocincta\ Ash- 

 worth's Rustic (Agrotis ashworthii], are found upon it. 



Campanula, Dodonseus, is from the mediaeval Latin campana, church 

 bell (a diminutive of it), and the second Latin name refers to the round 

 radical leaves. 



It is called Air-bell, Aulman's, Hare or Hare's, Heath Bell, Bell- 

 flower, Witch Bells, Blawort, Blue-bell, Blue Blauers or Blue-blowers, 

 Blue -bottle, Gowks Thumbs, Milkwort, Lady's Witches, Thunble, 

 Thimble. Aulman's Bell is a Scottish name, the plant being regarded 

 with a sort of dread and commonly left unpulled. The name Lady's 

 Thimble was bestowed because of the bell -shaped corolla which 

 children gather and fit on their fingers. It was called Witches' 

 Thimble, because it was commonly supposed witches decorated their 

 fingers with it. 



The Harebell was dedicated to St. George (April 23), people 

 wearing blue coats. 



" On St. George's Day, when blue is worn, 

 The blue harebells the fields adorn." 



This, no doubt, refers to the Bluebell, Scilla nutans. Our Lady's 

 Thimble was another name. It was a plant of ill-omen in Scotland 

 (see Aulman's Bell). The roots have a milky acrid juice, and the 

 plant has been used in dietetics. Linnaeus says a blue pigment is 

 prepared from the flowers. It is an ornamental flower and has been, 

 and is, used in gardens. 



