WILD STRAWBERRY. 28 



taken for it. The general resemblance is fairly close, but a 

 botanist can distinguish each at a glance. In each the leaves 

 are divided into three leaflets, the flowers are white and five- 

 parted ; but in F. vesca the upper side of the leaf is channelled 

 with sunken nerve-lines, whilst in P. fragariastnim it is 

 smooth. The real strawberry sends off runners with young 

 rooting plants ; the false does not. When the fruit is formed 

 there is no longer danger of confounding the two species, for 

 the false plant entirely lacks the fleshiness of the true. The 

 fruit of the Strawberry is a compound one, consisting of a 

 large number of achenes scattered over the enlarged and 

 succulent top (receptacle] of the flower-stalk, beneath which are 

 spread out the persistent green calyx-lobes. 



It is a widely distributed species, flowering from April to 

 June, and found on shady banks, and in woods. The name 

 Fragaria is from the Latin fragrans, fragrant, and has 

 reference to the perfumed fruit. 



Milk wort {Poly gala vulgar is), and 

 Germander Speedwell (Veronica chamadrys). 



Nestling closely among the grass of heaths and dry pastures, 

 the Milkwort, though commonly and profusely distributed, is 

 not a well-known plant. It is only a few inches in height, and 

 scarcely noticeable when not in flower. The narrow, tough 

 leaves are scattered alternately on the stem. The broad 

 inner two of the five sepals are coloured purple, and the 

 corolla may be the same hue, or pink, blue, white or lilac. The 

 structure of the flower is very curious, and should be carefully 

 noted by aid of the pocket-lens. The stamens cohere, and the 

 corolla is attached to the sheath thus formed. The pistil has a 

 protecting hood over it, obviously with reference to the visits 

 of insects ; but the flower is also self-fertile. When the fruit is 

 formed the sepals turn green. The name of the genus is 



