154 PLANTS GROWING IN RICH OR ROCKY SOIL. 



And if authorities do differ with each other a little about the 

 exact significance of these emblems, we do not mind very 

 much ; because we have them all in the imagination, where we 

 hold fast to them as part of this beautiful flower. 



A. truncata, (Plate LXXVIII.) is another red and yellow 

 variety which has petals as though cut off at the top, or trun- 

 cate. It is extremely variable in size and foliage ; but is firm 

 in its preference for shaded places, often by streams. 



A. ccBridea, (Plate LXXVIII.) or the long-spurred columbine, 

 is an exquisite flower. It is a native of the Rocky Mountains, 

 where on shady slopes it blooms abundantly. The illustration 

 shows it in its blue gown : it is also fond of white and occa- 

 sionally pinkish ; but never red. The ovate sepals with their 

 slender spurs are spreading and double the length of the round 

 lighter-coloured petals with which they alternate. In size it is 

 quite three inches broad. The beauty of the species has en- 

 couraged enthusiastic horticulturists to introduce it into gar- 

 dens. 



*' So did the maidens with their flowers entwine 

 The scented white, the blue and flesh-like Columbine." — Brown. 



WHITE BANEBERRY. 



Actka alb a. 



FAMILY COLOUR ODOUR RANGE TIME OF BLOOM 



Crozu/oot. IV'iite. Scentless. Nezv England southward. April^ May. 



Flowers : small ; in a dense, termJnal raceme. Calyx : of four to six sepals 

 that fall early. . Coyolla : of four to ten petals with claws. Stamens : numer- 

 ous ; with white filaments. Pistil: one; stigma, two-lobed. Fruit: a round- 

 ish, oval, white berry with a dark eye at the apex ; glabrous ; poisonous. 

 Leaves: compound with ovate leaflets in threes ; the upper ones often sharply 

 cleft. Stem : smooth ; high ; the flower-stalk a conspicuous, bright red. 



A very old friend to those that visit the woods is the white 

 baneberry. Its curious late summer fruit lingers perhaps better 

 in the memory than the soft white bloom of early spring. 



A, rubra., the red baneberry, is very handsome and is readily 

 distinguished by its cherry-coloured berries. It comes into 

 bloom a little earlier than the above and is partial to a cooler 

 soil. The berries are also said to be poisonous. 



