THE FLOWERS OF THE CHALK DOWNS 



625 



of the leaves. The Nettle-Leaved Bell 

 flower {Campanula Tracheliitiii), a photo- 

 graph of which is given tor comparison, 

 grows more frequently in woods, and i.s 

 different in general appearance ; the 

 flowers are shortly stalked and have a 



ably to keep small insects from creeping 

 down into the tube and stealing the 

 honey. 



YELLOW-WORT 



A very striking plant, the Perfoliate 

 Yellow- wort {Blackstonia perfoliata) is 



^1 A 



CLUSTERED BELL FLOWER. 



more pendulous habit, although some- 

 times they are gathered into a terminal 

 cluster as in Campanula glomerata. The 

 leaves are coarsely toothed, and are very 

 similar in appearance to those of the 

 Stinging Nettle. 



Another little dark blue flower to be 

 found on the downs is the Field Gentian 

 {Gentiana campesiris), which, in these 

 locahties, appears as a small bunch of 

 dark blue flowers and leaves with scarcely 

 any stems. All the parts of the flower 

 are in fours, and the mouth of the corolla 

 is furnished with a fringe of hairs, prob- 



NETTLE-LEAVED BELL FLOWER. 



often to be seen growing in dry pastures, 

 especially in chalky districts. It is a 

 member"^of the Gentian family, and may 

 readily be recognised by the fact that its 

 leaves grow in pairs, and are so connected 

 at their bases that the pale sea-green 

 stem appears to be growing through 

 the middle of one leaf, whence the name 

 perfoliate. At the summit of the stem 

 are a few bright yellow flowers, with all 

 their ])arts in eights ; tlie calyx has 

 fight lobes or divisions : there are eiglit 

 loI)es to the yellow corolla, and eight 

 stamens. Both the stems and leaves 



