58 



WILD FLOWERS 



120. Scarlet Pimpernel, Poor Man's Weather-Glass, Ana- 

 gallis arvensis, Primrose family. The stem is branched, lying 



119. Marsh Cinquefoil. 



120. Scarlet Pimpernel, Poor 

 Man's Weather-Glass. 



along the ground, and rising at the tips : the leaves are in pairs, 



sessile, and ovate in shape : the iiowers arise singly on slender 

 stalks from the leaf axils; they are 

 small, star-like, and bright scarlet : a 

 weed of dry, sandy soil, flowering in 

 summer : this pretty little plant owes 

 its second English name to the fact that 

 the flowers close up in damp weather. 



121. Sheep's Sorrel, Rumex Aceto- 

 sella, Dock family. A weed, the occur- 

 rence of which in abundance is a sure 

 indication of poor soil : it is readily 

 recognised by its leaves, which are 

 smooth, bright green,and halbert-shaped : 

 the flowers are small and inconspicuous, 

 but gathered in a branched spike at the 

 end of the stem (9 ins. high) they make 

 a bright show of crimson variegated 

 with green. R. Acetosa, the Sorrel, or 



Kourock, has arrow-shaped leaves of a pleasant acid flavour 



much appreciated by children. 



121. Sheep's Sorrel. 



