ONAGRACE^— EVENING-PRIMROSE 

 FAMILY 



GREAT WILLOW-HERB. FIREWEED 



Epilobium angustijdlium. Epildhium hirsutum 



EpiloUum, Greek, meaning a Violet upon a pod. 



Perennial. Naturalized from Europe. In low grounds, 

 recent clearings, and newly burned-over lands the tall, 

 showy, swaying magenta spikes of the Willow-Herb 

 follow the roadways, linger beside the railroads, and 

 cover woodland tracts in Canada and the Northern States 

 from coast to coast. June-August. 



Stem. — Erect, simple or branched, two to eight feet 

 high. 



Leaves. — Opposite, sometimes variable; short-petioled, 

 lanceolate, long and narrow, resembling Willow leaves, usu- 

 ally entire, acute at apex. Before blooming the basal 

 leaves form beautiful rosettes. 



Flowers. — Magenta-pink, sometimes white, borne in 

 long, terminal spikes which carry at the same time many 

 seed-pods, many flowers in full bloom, and many buds. 

 Each blossom sits upon the summit of a long, slender, 

 purple-stained ovary. 



Calyx. — The tube cohering with the ovary. 



Corolla. — Petals, four, purple-pink, rounded, spread- 

 ing on short claws broadest above the middle, sometimes 

 notched, convolute in bud. 



Stamens. — Eight, bent downward, inserted on the top 

 of the calyx tube. Anthers purplish; filaments white. 



Pistil. — Ovary long, slender, four-sided; style one, 

 long; stigma four-lobed. 



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