CUCKOO-FLOWER. 233 



a foot iu height. Tlie leaves are alternate, pinnate ; the radi- 

 cal ones composed of from five to nine roundish, angular 

 leaflets, which are gradually larger towards the summit ; the 

 leaflets of the cauline leaves are more numerous, straight, entire, 

 lanceolate, and the uppermost even linear, the terminal one the 

 largest. The flowers terminate the stem in loose, raceme-like 

 corymbs. The calyx consists of four oblong, obtuse, concave^ 

 deciduous, slightly spreading sepals, two of them protuberant at 

 the base. The four petals are much larger than the calyx, 

 cruciform, and nearly round, with a small tooth on each claw, 

 marked with conspicuous veins^ and of a white, blueish, or pale 

 purple colour. The stamens are tetradynamous, inserted on 

 the receptacle, the two shorter filaments with a nectareous 

 gland at the base, and one between each pair of longer fila- 

 ments and the calyx ; the anthers are small, oblong, arcuate, 

 acute, and erect. The germen is superior, cylindrical, linear, 

 smooth, supporting a small, nearly sessile, obtuse, capitate stigma. 

 The fruit is a silicle or elongated pod, linear, compressed, with 

 two valves, which roll back in a spiral manner from the base to 

 the summit ; and divided by a dissepiment into two cells, which 

 contain numerous, rounded seeds, attached alternately to the 

 placenta in a single row^ 'by very short and slender stalks or 

 funicles. Plate 17, fig. 3, («) calyx, stamens and pistil some- 

 what magnified ; (b) silique or fruit, of the natural size ; (c) 

 the same, showing its mode of dehiscence. 



This pretty vivacious plant is found in moist meadows, 

 marshes and the sides of ditches in great abundance ; its blos- 

 soms first appear about Lady-day, and are very profuse towards 

 the end of April and the beginning of May. In the woods and 

 alpine pastures of Lapland it is everywhere obvious. 



The generic name is derived from xa^^ia, the heart, and Safxa'M, 

 to fortify, from the supposed stomachic qualities of the plant, 

 or from y.«^oa/xov, cress, because of its alliance with the cresses. 

 This species was named Lady's-smock*, in honour of the Virgin 

 Mary, as it first comes into flower about Lady-day ; and as it 



* •' Lady-smocks all silver white, 



Do paint the meadows much he({ight."—Shakspeare. 

 " Bright crown-imperial, king's-spear, hollyhocks, 

 Sweet Venus-navel, and soft lady-smocks." — BenJmson. 



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