56 



BEET. BETA. 

 SEA BEET. Beta maritima. 



Plate 3, fig. 19. 

 Stem prostrate. Flowers in pairs. Leaves ovate, entire. 



A native of the sea shore of England and south of Scotland, 

 The root is thick, tapering, white when cut across. Stem 

 two feet high, branched. Flowers single or two together, in 

 leafy compound spikes. 



GUELDER ROSE. VIBURNUM. 

 MEALY GUELDER ROSE. Viburnum lantana. 



Plate 3, fig. 20. 

 Leaves cordate and very downy. Berries black. 



A thick branching shrub, common in woods and hedges in 

 the south of England, growing to the height of from four to 

 eight feet, and bearing in June flat bunches of white flowers at 

 the end of the young stems, succeeded afterwards by red, rather 

 square, fleshy seeds. The calyx is very minute, and the corolla 

 regular. Leaves opposite, much wrinkled, veined, of a roundish 

 heart-shaped form, serrated at the edges, and very downy on 

 the under side. The young shoots are also downy. 



COMMON GUELDER ROSE. WAY-FARING TREE. V. opulus. 



Plate 4, fig. 1. 

 Leaves lobed and very smooth. Berries red. 



Grows in the same places as the last, but flowers rather earlier. 

 It is known at once from the former by being smooth all over, 

 having its leaves lobed, and the stalks of them furnished with 

 two or more glands ; its berries too are oval, and those of its 

 florets, which are near the outer part of the bunch, irregular, 

 without stamens, and larger than the others. When in gardens 

 the whole of its flowers become thus monstrous ; also, the 

 bunches of them become round balls, and being beautifully 

 white resemble snow-balls. Cowper speaks of 

 **** The snow flower tall ; 

 Throwing up into the darkest gloom, 

 Of neighbouring Cypress or more sable Yew, 

 Her silver globes, light as the foaming surf. 

 That the wind severs from the broken wave " 



