SAXIFRAGE FAMILY. Saxifragaceaz 



False Mitre- ^ n attractive little plant that decorates 



wort, Foam- the moist woodland floor with its orna- 

 flower, or mental leaves all through the summer. 



Coolwort The f eat hery spike of fine white flower* 



Tiarella cordi- * 



f 0lia with five petals appears conspicuously 



White above the leaves in late spring or early 



Late April- summer ; the ten prominent stamens have 

 early June orange anthers, and the long pistil in the 

 centre is white. The leaves remotely resemble those of 

 the mountain maple, but they are small, rough hairy 

 over the upper surface, and dark green, sometimes 

 mottled with a brownish tone. The little seed-capsule 

 is characteristically cloven like a tiara, hence the name ; 

 the heart-shaped form of the leaf accounts for the 

 specific cordifolia. 6-12 inches high. In rich woods, 

 from Me., south along the mountains to Ga., and west 

 to Minn. Common in the woods of the White Moun- 

 tains. 



Mitrewortor The true mi trewort is verv easily dis- 

 Bishop's Cap tinguished from the false, by several 

 Mitella diphylla marked differences; half-way up the stem 

 Whlte are two opposite leaves nearly if not quite 



April-May rm a A e v 



stemless. The flowers instead of being 

 borne on rather long individual stems in a thin feathery 

 cluster, are short-stemmed and distinctly separated; the 

 tiny white blossom has five petals beautifully fringed, 

 which remind one of a highly ornamental snow crys- 

 tal. This plant is also hairy throughout. The name 

 means a little mitre, alluding to the mitre-shape of the 

 seed-pod. 8-16 inches high. Rich woods, Me., south to 

 N. Car. , and west to Minn. 



Naked Mitre- ^ nlucn smaller and daintier species dis- 

 wortor tinguished by its naked stem, which is 



Bishop's Cap without the two leaflets, and is slightly 

 Mitella nuda hairy. The leaves approach a somewhat 

 und form ' and the snow-crystallike 



flowers are greenish white, and few. 

 They have ten yellow stamens. 4-7 inches high. In 

 cool woods and mossy bogs, from N. Eng., south to Pa., 

 and west. The Mitellas are common in Vermont, but 

 rare or absent in central New Hampshire. 

 184 



