66 



WILD FLOWERS 



colour of the flower is deep pure purple, but usually the 3 

 lower petals are paler, and one may be yellow : flowers from 

 spring to autumn. 



140. Bloody Crane's-bill, Geranium sanguineum, Crane's-bill 

 family. A bushy plant, about 1 ft. high, not uncommon on 

 dry cliffs and sandy banks, where it flowers in summer: the 

 leaves are large, stalked, and deeply palm-cut into 7 notched 

 segments: the flowers occur singly on slender stalks in the 

 leaf axils; they are large, brilliant red- purple, and very 

 handsome ; the ripe fruits are scattered by the peculiar move- 



139. Heartsease, Pansy. 



140. Bloody Crane's-bill. 



ment of their beaks, which roll up like watch-springs as they 

 dry. 



141. Field Crane's-bill, Geranium pratense, Crane's-bill family. 

 The stem is tall (1 to 3 ft.) and much branched : the leaves are 

 large, sessile, and cut into toothed lobes : the flowers are 

 numerous, occur in pairs, and are purple in colour : a common 

 plant of meadows and waysides, flowering in summer. 



142. Herb Robert, GeraniumRobertianwn, Crane's-bill family. 

 The weak, brittle stem is much branched, and bears pairs of 

 stalked leaves : the leaves are compound, with 3 to 5 notched 

 leaflets : the flowers, which occur in pairs on slender stalks, are 

 small and reddish purple in colour : the whole plant is sticky, 

 and has a not unpleasant odour : very common in damp shady 

 places, flowering from spring to autumn. 



143. Tufted Vetch., vicia Cracca, Vetch family. A common 

 and striking plant of dry banks and hedgerows : the long weak 

 stem rambles over other plants, aided by the slender-branched 

 tendrils, which occupy the tips of the leaves: the leaves are 



