A GUIDE TO THE WILD FLOWERS 145 



odorous. Leaves opposite, much cut and divided, the ultimate 

 divisions toothed. Flowers in pairs at the end of a long slen- 

 der stalk, not over ^ in. wide, reddish-purple. Among 

 rocks, Nova Scotia to Penn., and westward. May-Sept. Fig. 

 428. 



429. Petals or petal-like sepals 4 (sometimes 5 in Viorna 

 oxhroleuca no. 430. 



Petals none; sepals greenish-purple, petal-like; flowers nodding; 

 plant silky Leather-Flower no. 430 



Petals present, showy; plant not silky 

 Leaves conspicuously 3 or 5 nerved , . Meadow Beauty no, 431 

 Leaves not conspicuously 3 or 5 nerved; fruits a long slender 

 down-filled pod Willow Herbs no. 434 



430. Leather-flower. Viorna ochroleuca. {Clematis ochrol- 

 euca.) {Ranunculaceae.) An erect relative of Nos. 239 and 

 240, which are vines, and have compound leaves. See No. 237 

 for description of the genus. In sand and on serpentine out- 

 crops. Staten Island to Penn. and Georgia, rather local. May. 



431. MEADOW BEAUTY. RHEXIA. 

 (MELASTOMACEAE.) 



Low, rather weak herhs, with opposite leaves and rough 

 or angled stems. Leaves mostly stalkless, prominently 3-5 

 nerved, and rather sharply toothed, but not deeply so. 

 Flowers i, or few in a terminal cluster, more or less oblique 

 and appearing not quite regular. Petals 4, showy, magenta- 

 purple. The species here treated are: 

 Stems round, rough-hairy. 



432. Meadow beauty. Rhexia mariana. A bristly hairy herb, 

 simple or branched, with opposite, essentially stalkless leaves 

 which are oblong, or linear-oblong, and i-i^ in. long. 

 Flowers pale magenta-purple, about i in. wide. In pine barren 

 bogs. Long Island to Florida, and westward. July. 

 Stem angled, smooth or with a few hairs. 



