A GUIDE TO THE WILD FLOWERS 85 



plants, but as many of them are common weeds, they are not 

 to be omitted from the book. 



While bright color is nearly always lacking in this group 

 as far as petals or sepals are concerned, other parts of the 

 flower may be decidedly showy and very beautiful. Especially 

 is this true of the plumy stamens of the meadow rues 

 (Nos. 308-311), the pinkish-red scales of the glasswort (No. 

 312), the white stamens of the burnet (No. 307), and many 

 others. Note particularly what part of the plant gives it 

 color. In this group it will not usually be petals or sepals, 

 for when the latter are present, they are often an incon- 

 spicuous green or greenish brown. Sometimes they are pink, 

 as in the alpine bistort (No. 247), or crimson, as in the 

 prince's feather (No. 297). 

 These plants may be grouped thus : 



Leafless plant of the salt marshes Glasswort no. 312 



Plants with obvious leaves, though these may be small 



Stem leaves either actually compound or much divided, .no. 304 

 Stem leaves neither compound nor divided, but their margins 

 may be toothed or not. 

 Plants of various situations, but not confined to high alpine 



summits no. 248 



Plants confined to high alpine summits, or to the far north 

 no. 245 



245. Plants confined to high alpine summits, or to the far 

 north. (Nos. 246-247.) Consists of only two low herbs with 

 basal and sometimes stem leaves, and curious little sheaths at 

 each leaf-base. 



Leaves broad, deeply heart-shaped at the base; flowers greenish in 

 open, loose clusters. 



246. Mountain Sorrel. Oxyria digyna. {Polygonaceac.) 

 A low perennial bog herb, with long-stalked basal leaves that 

 are kidney-shaped, or almost round, wholly without teeth, 

 and heart-shaped at the base. Flower cluster erect, branched, 

 rather open, and the individual flowers drooping, greenish, 

 with no petals. Fruit dry, tiny and winged. Greenland and 

 Labrador to Alaska, south to the summits of the White 

 Mountains of New Hampshire and the Rockies. August, 



