SCROPHULARIACEJE 



of these tall sentinels, bearing their large, blanket-like 

 leaves, that become gradually smaller toward the top of 

 the stem, and their steeple-like spike of yellow flowers, 

 are thrown into contrasting colour with the red-grey back- 

 ground of a group of burned and twisted pine-tree trunks. 

 The flowers could aid in making the plant more beautiful, 

 if the buds would only hurry in opening. The large full- 

 blown flowers with numerous golden-yellow stamens are 

 really pretty. But the buds develop so sluggishly that 

 on the same spike are usually mature flowers, buds and 

 green fruit forming. 



However, "Handsome is as handsome does." This was 

 once one of the most useful herbs of the home medicine 

 chest. The leaves, boiled in milk and sweetened, could 

 be used internally for digestive troubles. Or "the leaves 

 dipped in hot vinegar and water are very useful, applied 

 as a fomentation for colds or in malignant sore throat. A 

 handful of them may also be placed in an old teapot, with 

 hot water, and the steam inhaled through the spout in 

 the same complaints." (Warren.) An oil made from the 

 flowers is still considered valuable in the treatment of 

 earache. 



SCROPHULARIACE^ FIGWORT FAMILY 



Linaria canadensis, (L.) Dumont. 



Lavender Wild Toad Flax, 



Blue Toad Flax. 

 June-September 



Linaria: Derivative from Latin for flax, which some 



species resemble in their leaves. 

 Canadensis: Latin for Canadian. 



THE PREFERRED HABITAT: sandy roadsides. 



THE PLANT: the flowering stem erect, from four inches to 

 two feet high, simple or branched, hairless, brittle, the 

 sterile shoots spreading or low-lying, very leafy. 



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