22 WILD FLOWERS 



whin and bramble): the leaves are bright green and feather- 

 compound, each leaflet being divided into three secondary leaflets ; 

 the tip of the leaf is occupied by the delicate branched tendril, 

 which enables the plant to climb : the flowers, which are small 

 and cream-coloured, have a blunt spur 



(projecting back, and occur in little groups 

 of four or five in summer. 



20. Water-Cress, Nasturtium officinale, 

 Cress family. The Water-Cress is found 

 everywhere in small streams of running 

 water : the stein is usually 1 to 2 ft. long, 

 rising out of the water at least at the 

 tip, which bears a spike of small white 

 flowers : the leaves are feather-compound, 

 with ovate leaflets : the plant is much 

 more slender if it grows out of water, 

 but in suitable wet positions may be very luxuriant : flowers in 

 summer. 



21. Hairy Bitter-Cress, Cardamine hirsuta, Cress family. A 

 common plant of moist meadows : it has a rosette of feather- 



19. White Climbing 

 Fumitory. 



20. Water-Cress. 



21. Hairy Bitter-Cress. 



compound leaves, with roundish, toothed leaflets: from this 

 rises the stem about 1 ft. high, with a few leaves and a spike 

 of small white flowers : the hairy sepals distinguish it readily 

 from land forms of the preceding species: flowera from 

 spring to autumn : the Common Bitter-Cress is a larger species 

 with large white flowers, which have conspicuous violet sta- 

 mens. 



