THE FLOWERS OF THE CORNFIELDS 



985 



names are Dog Daisy, Moon 

 Daisy, and Maiullin Daisy. 



CHAMOMILE 



Growing a m o n g s t the 

 stubble, after the corn has 

 been cut, and also in waste 

 places, two or three other 

 daisies may be found, the 

 flowers of which resemble 

 those of the Ox-eye, but are 

 not quite so large, and the 

 lea\'es are pinnate, with 

 narrow lobes. It may be 

 difficult to distinguish be- 

 tween these, as there are 

 three or four plants, closely 

 alhed, and very similar in 

 appearance. The Cor n 

 Chamomile {Anthemis arvcn- 

 sis) flowers from May to 

 August or September, the 

 plant is more or less covered 

 with small silky hairs. The 

 Stinking Mayweed {Anthemis 

 cotula) has smooth leaves, 

 which bear small glands 

 secreting a very nasty smell- 

 ing and acrid juice ; the 

 un])leasant smell that arises 

 when the leaves are bruised 

 will help to identify it. The 

 Common Chamomile (^4 n- 

 themis nohilis). on the other 

 hand, emits a very pleasant scent when 

 it is bruised. This is the plant that was 

 formerly used very largely for medicinal 

 purposes ; Chamomile tea was — and is 

 now with some country folk — a fa\'ourite 

 remedy for indigestion. 



The Scentless Mayweed {Matricaria 

 inodora), another of these closely aUied 

 and very similar flowers, has its leaves 

 much more finely cut than any of the 

 others, and the flower head is generally 

 larger. 



CORNFLOWER 



The Cornflower {Ceiitaiirea cyanns) is a 

 well-known plant in gardens, with blue, 

 pink or white flowers that may be relied on 

 to reappear each year where it has once 

 been planted, as it seeds in a prohfic 

 manner. In the cornfields the florets of 

 the disk are small and purple in colour, 

 whilst those of the outer rays are fewer 

 but larger, and of a brilliant blue. The 

 125 



OX-EYE DAISY. 



plant gi"ows to the height of about two 

 feet, with single flower heads at the ends 

 of long stems ; these latter are very 

 tough and wiry, are slightly angular in 

 shape, and covered with a cottony down. 

 Their wiriness is the origin of the local 

 name " Hurt-sickle " ; another common 

 name is the " Corn Blue-bottle." the 

 blue coming from the bright colour of 

 the flower, and the term " bottle " be- 

 cause of a somewhat fancied resemblance 

 of the scaly involucre just below the florets 

 to a bottle or flask. The upper leaves of 

 the Cornflower are arranged alternately 

 on the stems, and are long, narrow, and 

 with entire edges, coated with a downy 

 substance ; the lower leaves are broader 

 and very often have somewhat rough 

 toothed edges. The flowers may be 

 found in the cornfields from July to 

 Se])tember ; it cannot be called a very 

 common i)hint. as it is somewhat local. 



