PINK 



hence one of its common names. The flower has been likened 

 to a scarlet evening primrose, and there is certainly a suggestion 

 of the evening primrose in the four rounded, slightly heart-shaped 

 petals. The protruding stamens, with their long yellow anthers, 

 are conspicuous. 



Of the plant in the late year, Thoreau writes : " The scarlet 

 leaves and stem of the rhexia, sometime out of flower, make al- 

 most as -bright a patch in the meadows now as the flowers did. 

 Its seed-vessels are perfect little cream-pitchers of graceful form." 



CLAMMY CUPHEA. WAX-WEED. 



Cuphea viscosissima. Loosestrife Family. 



Stem. Sticky, hairy, branching. Leaves. Usually opposite, rounded, 

 lance-shaped. Floivers. Deep purplish-pink, solitary or in racemes. Ca- 

 lyx. Tubular, slightly spurred at the base on the upper side, six-toothed at 

 the apex, usually with a slight projection between each tooth. Corolla. 

 Small, of six unequal petals. Stamens. Eleven or twelve, of unequal sizes, 

 in two sets. Pistil. One, with a two-lobed stigma. 



In the dry fields and along the roadsides of late summer this 

 plant is found in blossom. Its rather wrinkled purplish-pink 

 petals and unequal stamens suggest the flowers of the spiked 

 loosestrife, L. Salicaria, to which it is closely related. 



SEA PINK. 



Sabbatia stellaris. Gentian Family. 



Stem. Slender, loosely branched. Leaves. Opposite, oblong to lance- 

 shaped, the upper narrowly linear. Flowers. Large, deep pure pink to 

 almost white. Calyx. Usually five-parted, the lobes long and slender. 

 Corolla. Usually five-parted, conspicuously marked with red and yellow in 

 the centre. Stamens. Usually five. Pistil. One, with two-cleft style. 



The advancing year has few fairer sights to show us than a 

 salt meadow flushed with these radiant blossoms. They are so 

 abundant, so deep-hued, so delicate ! One feels tempted to lie 

 down among the pale grasses and rosy stars in the sunshine of 

 the August morning and drink his fill of their beauty. How 

 often nature tries to the utmost our capacity of appreciation and 

 leaves us still insatiate ! At such times it is almost a relief to 

 turn from the mere contemplation of beauty to the study of its 

 structure ; it rests our overstrained faculties. 



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