BLUE AND PURPLE WILD FLOWERS 



with five-parted petal-like yellow anthers having a 

 cream-coloured centre, and three others are larger 

 and recurved, without the elaborate tips. The 

 smooth, juicy, and much-branched stem is rather weak. 

 It is very slightly zigzagged, and the juice is thick like 

 mucilage. It often takes root at the joints. The long, 

 lance-shaped leaves are contracted at the base into 

 sheathing stems. They alternate on the stalk. The 

 floral one is heart-shaped, clasping and folded to- 

 gether or hooded to guard the short flower stems. 

 The low-growing Day-flower is common throughout its 

 range, in moist, shaded soils, particularly about old 

 farm buildings, neglected gardens, or roadside fences. 

 It is found from New York to Illinois and Michigan, 

 south to Florida, Nebraska and Texas, from June 

 to September. It extends also throughout Central 

 America to Paraguay. 



PICKEREL-WEED 



Pontediria cordata. Pickerel-weed Family. 



The ragged, bright blue floral spikes of the Pickerel- 

 weed blossom from June to October, in shallow water 

 along the borders of ponds and streams where, so the 

 disciples of Izaak Walton declare, the Pickerel lays its 

 eggs. The rather stout stalk is smooth, round and 

 green, and grows from one to four feet in height. The 

 large, solitary, smooth, arrow or heart-shaped, dark 

 green leaf is thick, tough and leathery. The margin 

 is entire; the veins are numerous and paralleled, and 

 the thick, round stem sheathes the stalk, which rises 



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