PLANTS GROWING IN DRY SOIL. 273 



'' The crown of thorns in the fringes of the flowers, nails in the 

 styles with their capitate stigmas, hammers to drive them in the 

 stamens, cords in the tendrils." The sponge and the five 

 wounds of Christ were also pointed out to strengthen the in- 

 vaders in the belief that their doings were sanctioned by the 

 divine will. 



The flower is still the one among all other flowers that is held 

 in veneration ; for it is associated with the passion above all 

 other conceptions of our Saviour. 



It remains open but for a single day. 



P. liitea, yellow passion flower, grows southward and westward 

 from Pennsylvania. Its leaves are very broad and the lobes 

 much rounded. 



COMflON ST. JOHN'S=WORT. 



Hyph-icum perforatum. 



FAMILY COLOUR ODOUR RANGE TIME OF BLOOM 



St. John'' s-ivort. Deep yellozv. Scentless. Mostly northeast. Siuiuiu-r. 



Flowers: growing in clusters. Calyx: of five pointed sepals. Corolla : oi 

 five petals dotted with black. Stamens : very numerous. Pistil : one, with 

 three branching styles. Leaves: opposite; sessile ; oblong ; dotted; pellu- 

 cid. Stem : branched ; leafy. Juice : acrid. 



The only one of the family in our flora that is not a native. 

 There is no doubt, however, but that it has taken out its 

 papers of naturalisation as it is quite at home here and pursues 

 a course of rapid soil-exhausting growth, which no doubt is 

 answerable for many grey hairs in the poor farmer's head. 



The flower received its name from an ancient superstition 

 that on St. John's day, June 24, the dew that had fallen on the 

 plant was possessed of a peculiar efficacy to preserve the eye- 

 sight It was therefore collected, dipped in oil, and made into 

 a balm, which served equally well for every wound — " balm-of- 

 the-warrior's wound" being one of its early names. It was 

 also gathered on St. John's eve to be hung at the doors and 

 windows, and in Scotland was even carried about in the pockets 

 as a safeguard against evil spirits and witchcraft. Maidens had 

 faith in it as foretelling by its vigourous or puny growth whether 



