FLOWERS AND GRASSES. 



75 



has never been very satisfactorily explained. It is 

 said that there was an old notion that the seeds falling 

 to the ground were transformed into wheat, but this 

 would only in part ac- 

 count for the name. It 

 is a poor straggling plant, 

 with little to recommend 

 it to notice, except its 

 being very common in 

 every wood. 



Two cyrious parasiti- 

 cal plants are now and 

 then to be met with in 

 woods. Neither of them 

 has true leaves, but the 

 stem is clothed with 

 scales. One called 

 "Bird's -nest," 1 at the 

 roots of beeches and firs ; 

 the other "Tooth wort/' 2 

 growing on the roots of 

 hazel, oak, ash, elm, and 

 other trees. These are 

 such singular - looking 

 plants, from their livid, 

 pallid hue, absence of 

 leaves, and coarse habit, 

 that they are sure to be noted as curiosities by any 

 one finding them. 



"Sell your coat and buy betony " was an old 



WOOD BETONY. 



1 Monotropa hypopitys. 



Lathraa squamarta. 



