216 PLANTS GROWING IN LIGHT SOIL. 



appearance is crisp and pert-like, and although it evades us and 

 hides itself behind its handsome leaves, we may hardly fancy 

 that it does so from shyness ; but rather that it is mischiev- 

 ously teasing its seeker and peeping out its bright face to laugh 

 at him as he passes on. 



FOUR=LEAVED LOOSESTRIFE. 



Lysimdchia quadrtfblta. 



FAMILY COLOUR ODOUR RANGE TIME OF BLOOM 



Primrose, Yellow* streaked with red. Scentless. General. June. 



Flowers: solitary ; growing uprightly on axillary thread-like flower-stalks. 

 Calyx: of five, parted petals. Corolla: of five, oblong, parted petals. 

 Stamens : four or five. Pistil : one. Leaves : lanceolate ; opposite or whorled 

 at even distances about the stem. Stem : upright ; smooth. 



The perfectly symmetrical arrangement of the leaves of this 

 plant and the star-like, bright faces that shoot out from their 

 axils make it very noticeable. It is closely related to L. 

 terrestris of the moist meadows ; but is fond of the light soil of 

 open woods and sometimes even appears along the roadsides. 

 This difference of taste is probably owing to the considerate 

 forethought of the family, which wish to put themselves as 

 much en evidence as possible, and to be ready to assist the poor 

 farmer by using their soothing influence upon his quarrelsome 

 beasts. L. terrestris, page 93. 



PARTRIDGE VINE. (Plate CXI.) 

 Mitchella repens. 



FAMILY COLOUR ODOUR RANGE TIME OF BLOOM 



Madder. White. Fragrant. General. June^July. 



Flowers: terminal; two in each cluster. Calyx: of four toothed sepals. 

 Corolla : of four wax-like lobes which extend into a tube ; within hairy. 

 Stamens: four. Pistil: one. Fruit: a small, round, scarlet berry singularly 

 crowned with the eight calyx-teeth, and formed by the cohering of the ovaries 

 of the twin flowers. Leaves: small; round; opposite; shiny; evergreen. 

 Stems : trailing closely over the ground. 



Much of the essence of the woodlands is embodied in the 

 cherry-like scent of the gentle sister blossoms and the pretty 



