PINK WILD FLOWERS 



long and narrow, and usually very short-stemmed. 

 The numerous pink or white flowers have four small 

 rounded and notched petals and eight yellow stamens. 

 The flowers are fixed on the end of a slender 

 pod and are generally nodding. The purple - stained 

 pod splits open in the fall and frees a mass of 

 cinnamon coloured fluff. The stem and leaves are 

 often tinged with purple. 



PIPSISSEWA. PRINCE'S PINE 



Cbimapbila umlellata. Wintergreen Family. 



Pipsissewa was employed by the Indians in reliev- 

 ing affections of the skin and for rheumatism. It 

 was also a very popular remedy among the early set- 

 tlers of this country. The foliage, when crushed, 

 exhales a peculiar odour, and the flowers are delicately 

 perfumed. The perennial stalk creeps extensively 

 underground, and sends up green, leafy branches a 

 foot or so in height. The thick, shining, evergreen 

 leaves are long-oblong, and widen toward the tip with 

 a sharply toothed margin. They are arranged in 

 whorls about the stalk. Several five-petalled, waxy, 

 white or purplish flowers are gathered on curved stems 

 in a loose terminal cluster. The centre is marked 

 with a deep pink ring, and the ten purple-tipped 

 stamens are spread against the widely flaring, con- 

 caved petals which encircle the large, thick, and 

 sticky - topped green pistil. The round, brown 

 seed cases ripen on the stem, which becomes 

 erect after the petals fall. The flowers are found in 



66 



