Yellow to Orange Flowers 333 



ing, entire. Flowers: in panicled cymes, stamens numerous, in three 

 fascicles. Fruit: capsule conical to globose, one to five celled. 



A handsome plant growing from one to two feet high, 

 having clasping entire leaves which are usually black-dotted 

 along the margins, and bright yellow rosin-scented flowers 

 growing in an open branched cluster. There are many 

 quaint superstitions connected with this plant. It was for- 

 merly believed to be a safeguard against the evil spirits who 

 walked abroad on St. John's Eve, and was gathered by the 

 country people with great ceremony, and hung up over their 

 doors to avert thunder and lightning ; while its ancient name 

 of Balm-of-the-Warrior's-Wound denotes that its healing 

 properties were much prized. It was also called Fuga 

 Dsemonum because it was believed to be a sovereign remedy 

 to cure melancholia, a fact Huxford refers to : 



" So then about her brow 

 They bound Hypericum, whose potent leaves 

 Have sovereign power o'er all the sullen fits 

 And cheerless fancies that besiege the mind; 

 Banishing ever, to their native night, 

 Dark thoughts, and causing to spring up within 

 The heart distress'd, a glow of gladdening hope, 

 And rainbow visions of kind destiny." 



YELLOW VIOLET 



Viola glabella. Violet Family 



Stems: glabrous, slender, from a short fleshy horizontal rhizome. 

 Leaves: radical ones on long petioles, the upper short-petioled, reniform- 

 cordate, crenately toothed. Flowers: bright yellow. 



This is a small plant which blooms close to he ground, 

 and is found chiefly at high altitudes. 



" When beechen buds begin to swell, 



And woods the bluebird's warble know, 

 The yellow violet's modest bell 



Peeps from the last year's leaves below." 



