f 



THE FIGWORT FAMILY. ^6^ 



olla: yellow ; very irregular ; tubular; two-lipped, the upper one lonff, erccl and 

 arched, the lower one shorter and three-lobed. Stumc/ts : four, unequal in Icneth 

 and enclosed in the upper lip of the corolla. Ptsti/ : one; style, lone, slender 

 /7^n7//^rt7'^j- crimson, or crimson-edged, and cut into three to five broad l()I>c»' 

 Leaves: alternate; sessile ; parallel veined ; the basal ones being tufted, objonK or 

 spatulate, entire; and those of the stem, unequally divided into tlirce or five 

 deeply cleft, linear segments. Stem: one to two feel high, purplish grey pubes- 

 cent, leafy. £> ;• i 



This flaming beauty, it will surprise many to learn, is a parasite on the 

 roots of various herbs or even shrubs. And for this reason, although its 

 brilliant bloom makes it desirable, it is impracticable to cultivate it, aUhouj;h 

 in ignorance of this characteristic many nurserymen have sold its seeds. In 

 North Carolina it grows in thin, light soil on the mountain slopes, often with 

 kalmias and rhododendrons, or through the meadows where grasses and tall 

 timothy stalks are nodding their heavy heads. On Grandfather and Koan 

 Mountains it sets ablaze many a high slope with the wondrous colouring of 

 its floral leaves and calyxes. For in these parts is the spirit of the flower 

 seen ; its corolla is pale yellow, often insignificant. 



WOOD BETONY. L0U5EW0RT. 



Pedicidaris Canadensis. 



\ Flowers: growing in a dense, rounded, leafy spike which in fruit becomes 

 elongated. Calyx : tubular; cleft at the apex on the underside. Corolla: tubular; 

 two-lipped, the upper lip well arched and with two minute teeth at the sides of the 

 apex where it also is bearded ; the lower one, three-lobed and crested above, the 

 side lobes being larger than the central one. Stamens : four, in the upper lip of 

 the corolla. Z^^z'^j." alternate, lanceolate, or oblong, and ])innately divided into 

 many entire, or crenate fine lobes. Ste7n : six to ten inches liigh, simi)Ie, hairy and 

 bearing leafy runners. 



We have seen in the figwort family how many of its members have 

 curious expressive faces, resembling animals quite as much as often pansies 

 take on the look of old men and women. The chelones are like tortoises ; 

 the monkey-flower tells its own story; and here, moreover, is the wood 

 betony rearing its slender corolla as the head of a walrus and even with two 

 miniature projections in imitation of his tusks. Most often the upper lip of 

 the flower is purple and the under one pale red, but also they occur of solid 

 colours, either yellow, purple or red. Through shady woods, therefore, one 

 may find a patch of yellow bloomers and not far distant a group of others 

 showing not a vestige of that colour. It is ever a strange-looking plant with 

 fern-like, rather coarse leaves and is pretty as long only as the bloom 

 endures. 



