WILD FLOWERS red 



one to wonder how it manages to keep from perishing 

 altogether during the extended dry spells of summer 

 and fall. The flowers are scarlet, with yellow linings. 

 They are conspicuously large and showy, and hang, 

 nodding upside down, from fine threadlike stems. 

 They vary greatly, measuring from one to two inches 

 long, and are rather bulky. The five petals are narrow 

 and cone-shaped, and taper sharply to a thickened, 

 rounded point, forming the upright and nearly straight 

 spurs. They are united below by five curved and 

 flaring sepals, which alternate with the tubes, and 

 when viewed from beneath, give the face of the flower a 

 distinct star-shape. The numerous, yellow-tipped 

 stamens and fine slender pistils project, tassel-like, 

 below the pure yellow corolla. As the seed pod 

 ripens, it assumes an upright position on stem. The 

 lower leaves are compound and divided two or three 

 times. Each leaflet has three or more lobes with 

 irregular, rounded notches. Their basal leaves are 

 borne on long, slender stems which rise direct from 

 the roots, and in the spring they form thick, rounded 

 tufts. The upper leaflets are variously shaped and 

 notched, generally rounded, and unite with the stalk 

 at the branching joints. They are thin in texture; 

 light green above, and whitish underneath. The 

 plant grows from one to two feet in height. The long, 

 slender, branching stalk is generally smooth and 

 slightly angular. The colour is green, usually deeply 

 stained with purple. The Wild Columbine is found 

 from Nova Scotia to the Northwest Territory and 



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