145 



and green. Flowers large, spreading widely open, bright 

 yellow, upon short stalks, in a small, close, five-toothed calyx. 

 Pods long, flat, hairy on the edges, and dark brown. Leavei 

 formed of three oblong leaflets. Such is : 



The broom, the broom, the bonny, bonny broom, 

 The broom of the Covvden knowes, 



so often alluded to by the poets and so famous in English 

 story. It was once called Planta Genista, whence arose the 

 word Plantagenet ; " and fourteen princes of the family of 

 Plantagenet sat on the throne of England for upwards of three 

 hundred years, and yet very few of our countrymen know either 

 the reason of that name or the meaning of it. History tells us 

 that Geoffry, Count of Anjou, acquired the surname of Plan- 

 tagenet from the incident of his wearing a sprig of Broom on 

 his helmet on a day of battle, This Geoffry married Matilda 

 or Maud, the daughter of Henry I. and from them were 

 descended almost all our Edwards, Richards, and Henries." 



" Afar from the cultured haunts of men, 



Where nature hath chanced thy seed to fling, 

 In the turf-covered wild, or the woodland glen, 

 I've seen thee unfold 'mid the blossoms of Spring. 



" The chieftain, who bore thee high on his crest, 

 And bequeath'd to his race thy simple name, 

 Long ages ago hath sunk to his rest, 

 And only survives in the still voice of fame. 



" Though the feeblest thing that nature e'er formed, 



A frail and perishing flower art thou j 

 Yet thy race has survived a thousand storms, 

 That have made the monarch and warrior bow. 



41 The storied urn may be crumbled to dust. 

 Time may the coin, or the statue deface, 

 But thou wilt be faithful and firm to thy trust, 

 The memorial flower of a princely race." 



Altered from a Poem by S. Waring. 



The common name of the plant shows the use to which it is 

 usually put. The young shoots are bitter, and have been 

 employed in medicine also, the buds are often pickled and 

 used as capers. 



REST-HARROW. ONONIS. 

 COMMON REST-HARROW. Ononis arvensis. 



Plate ll,/<7.6. 



A shrubby, hairy, dwarf, mostly thorny plant, which spreads 

 itself over commons and barren places, flowering in the middle 



L 



