28 PURPLE SANDWORT. 



among which the sweet-scented southern- 

 wood and the ladies'-cushion are conspicuous. 

 The plantain-leaved prefers the shelter of 

 moist woods, in company with the lesser 

 stitchwort, and blue forget-me-not, among 

 moss and ferns, on those green and shady 

 banks, which are rendered continually damp 

 by the little streamlets that flow adown 

 them. The thyme-leaved sandwort affects, 

 on the contrary, high and windy places. It 

 delights to open its small white solitary 

 flowers to the full glare of day, and may be 

 seen on cottage roofs or garden walls, or in 

 sandy and dry places, where almost every 

 other plant, except the stonecrop and the 

 nailwort, or perchance the little chickweed, 

 refuses to vegetate. The botanist seeks in 

 vain to find the media, or the vernal, grow- 

 ing on cottage roofs or walls. The one 

 thrives only in pastures at a short distance 

 from the sea, while the vernal sandwort is 



