VEGETATION OF STILL WATER 



35 



filaments, which form a contrast to the red stamens within. There 

 are long-styled and short-styled forms, as in the Primrose, to ensure 

 cross-pollination, and the fringes on the petals keep out insects 

 that would be too small to pollinate the flower. In the month of 

 August the Buckbean is in fruit, and the flowering spikes stand 

 some six inches or more erect above the surface of the bog, bearing 

 brown, withered-looking capsules. The name Buckbean is due to 

 the leaves bearing some resemblance to those of the Broad Bean. 



The Bog Pimpernel clings to the sides of the pools. It has 

 very delicate leaves and pale pink flowers. The stamens are 

 joined together by the bases of the filaments, and are densely 

 clothed with long white hairs to protect 

 themselves from small insects. The 

 Marsh Pennywort often covers the 

 boggy ground with its large green leaves 

 in the shape of a penny. It is one of 

 the smallest of the Umbelliferae, with 

 very minute greenish flowers tinged 

 with pink. 



The Bog Cinquefoil (Potentilla Corn- 

 arum) is often softly hairy on both 

 sides, a xerophytic character. The 

 outer side of the calyx is brightly 

 coloured, in fact, the whole plant is 

 often a bluish-purple, and the stem is, 

 as occurs frequently among bog plants, 

 creeping. Among Bog Orchids may be 

 mentioned the Bog Malaxis, which flowers late in summer and 

 is not easy to find. It inhabits spongy bogs, and is only three 

 or four inches high. From the root-stock a small bulb is pro- 

 duced out of the ground, and there are three or four radical 

 leaves. The flowers are very small, of a greenish-yellow. The 

 " labellum " is short, and arches over the stamen and carpel ; the 

 place usually occupied by the labellum is taken by the central 

 sepal, which acts as a platform for insects. 



The Plant associations most common in bogs are : 



i. The Sphagnum association, in this the Bog Moss is the 

 dominant species. 



FIG. ii. Bog Pimpernel 

 (Anagallis tenella). 



