Magenta to Pink 



Meadow-beauty; Deer Grass 



{Rhexia yirginica) Meadow-beauty family 



Flowers — Purplish pink, i to i^ in. across, pedicelled, clustered at 

 top of stem. Calyx 4-lobed, tubular or urn-shaped, narrowest 

 at neck ; 4 rounded, spreading petals, joined for half their 

 length ; 8 equal, prominent stamens in 2 rows ; i pistil. 

 Siejn: 1 to i>4 ft. high, square, more or less hairy, erect, 

 sometimes branching at top. Leaves : Opposite, ascending, 

 seated on stem, oval, acute at tip, mostly 5-nerved, the mar- 

 gins saw-edged. 



Pre/erred Habitat — Sandy swamps or near water. 



Flo7uering Season — ^J uly — September. 



Distribution — United States, chiefly east of Mississippi. 



Suggesting a brilliant magenta evening primrose in form, 

 the meadow-beauty is likewise a rather niggardly bloomer, only 

 a few flowers in each cluster opening at once ; but where masses 

 adorn our marshes, we cannot wonder so effective a plant is ex- 

 ported to European peat gardens. Its lovely sister, the Maryland 

 Meadow-beauty (/?. Mariana), a smaller, less brilliant flower, 

 found no farther north than the swamps and pine barrens of New 

 Jersey, also goes abroad to be admired ; yet neither is of any value 

 for cutting, for the delicate petals quickly discolor and drop off 

 when handled. Blossoms so attractively colored naturally have 

 many winged visitors to transfer their pollen. All too soon after 

 fertilization the now useless petals fall, leaving the pretty urn- 

 shaped calyx, with the large yellow protruding stamens, far more 

 conspicuous than some flowers. "Its seed-vessels are perfect 

 little cream pitchers of graceful form," said Thoreau. Within the 

 smooth capsule the minute seeds are coiled like snail-shells. 



Great or Spiked Willow-herb; Fire-weed 



{Chamaenerion aiigustifoliiim) Evening Primrose family 

 {Epilobium angustifolium of Gray) 



Flowers — Magenta or pink, sometimes pale, or rarely white, more 

 or less than i in. across, in an elongated, terminal, spike-like 

 raceme. Calyx tubular, narrow, in 4 segments ; 4 rounded, 

 spreading petals ; 8 stamens ; i pistil, hairy at base ; the 

 stigma 4-lobed. Stem : 2 to 8 ft. high, simple, smooth, leafy. 

 Leaves: Narrow, tapering, willow-like, 2 to 6 in. long. 

 Fruit: A slender, curved, violet-tinted capsule, from 2 to 3 in. 

 long, containing numerous seeds attached to tufts of fluffy, 

 white, silky threads. 



118 



