WILD FLOWERS pink 



market vegetable, which yields a thickening sub- 

 stance used in making soup. Still another kinsman, 

 the Rose of China, is a hot-house species, whose petals, 

 it is said, are employed by Chinese housewives in 

 staining their teeth black! 



MEADOW BEAUTY. DEERGRASS 



Rhexia virginica. Melastoma Family. 



There is a pleasing individual air about this delicate 

 beauty that is always sure to win our admiration as it 

 sways its captivating golden-spangled, bright purple 

 flowers among the tall grasses of our sandy marshes 

 during August. With slightly winged angles, the 

 square, more or less hairy, rather stout and branching 

 stalk grows from twelve to eighteen inches in height. 

 It is grooved and of a light green colour. The thin, 

 finely toothed, pointed oval leaves have three noticeable 

 ribs, and they are arranged in alternating, opposite 

 pairs. They are stemless, and a few hairs are scattered 

 sparingly over their otherwise smooth surface. The 

 large, fragile flowers are gathered in small terminal 

 clusters, on slender, leafy branches which spring from 

 the angles of the leaves in corresponding pairs on this 

 nicely balanced plant. They usually open one at a 

 time, and perish soon after they are plucked. The 

 four rounded, spreading petals are inserted on the 

 summit of the hairy, urn-shaped calyx. The eight 

 long, purplish stamens are capped with large, semi- 

 circular, bright yellow anthers which are very con- 

 spicuous. The pistil is long, slender, and crooked. 



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