102 



ROSE. &EL1ANTHEMUM. 

 COMMON ROCK ROSE or CISTUS. H. vulgare. 

 Plate 7, fig. 13. 



A low, procumbent, branched, and delicate shrub, which 

 covers many a hill- side and bank in the rocky and chalky parts 

 of England, blossoming in July and August. The flowers of 

 all the tribe are very fleeting, they last but a few hours, when 

 they are succeeded by others. The calyx is of five leaves, two 

 of them very small. Corolla of five yellow petals. Flowers 

 stalked, several together on the ends of the branches, and each 

 attended with a bract. Leaves opposite, oblong, stalked, dark 

 green, their edges a little doubled back, with two stipules at 

 their base, and as well as the younger stems and flower-stalks 

 hairy. 



O. S. Hoary Dwarf Rock Rose, Spotted Annual Rock Rose, Leduin- 

 leaved Rock Rose, and White Mountain Rock Rose all very rare. 



WATER LILY. 

 WHITE WATER LILY. Nymphcea alba. 

 Plate 7, fig. 14. 



The root is creeping. Leafstalk round. Calyx of four white 

 leaves, tinged with green outside, and often streaked with pale 

 pink within. Petals in several rows, white. Stamens leaflike, 

 bright yellow. Stigma of sixteen rays rising from the seed 

 vessel, which contains as many cells, full of seeds. Flower 

 three or four inches over when expanded, opening to the morn- 

 ing light about seven o'clock, and closing about four in the 

 afternoon, when it droops, hangs its head, and lies languidly 

 upon the still waters, or more commonly dips its head beneath 

 the surface, till the morrow's sun again calls it into life and 

 beauty. It blossoms at Midsummer, and ornaments the still 

 parts of many of our rivers and Highland lakes. 



" The Lady of the Lake"" The Naiad of the River" and 

 " The Swan among Flowers," are three among the numerous 

 names borne by this splendid plant ; and no one, however they 

 may disregard the beauties of nature in general, can witness it 

 covering the dark waters of some charming pool or lake, with 

 its broad, round, and dark green leaves, and offering to the sun 



