FLOWERING PLANTS OF THE GREEN LANES. 239 



young botanist is more in demand. The Valerian, 

 both Great and Marsh (V. ojjicincdis and V. dioica), 

 have both gone off. The former lined the ditch 

 sides, where its roots were perhaps sought for to 

 attract cats ! The latter species was scattered over 

 the marsh, where the difference in the appearance of 

 the male and female flowers (which bloom on 

 separate plants), may have somewhat puzzled the 

 young beginner. It is now covered with seed- 

 vessels, whose light flocky appendages and the 

 withered stem supporting them, give to the plant 

 quite a different appearance. The Black Knapweed 

 (Gentaurea nigra) is growing in abundance in the 

 meadows, and on the slopes of the hedge-banks in 

 the quiet lanes, and the meadow brown butterfly is 

 flitting about, and selecting them in preference to 

 any other flower. You cannot mistake this plant, 

 with its thistle-like head and purple florets, and 

 calyx covered with black-edged scales (whence its 

 name). The drier parts of the hedge banks are 

 covered with the delicate little Blue-bell (Campanula 

 rotundifolia.) You look in vain, however, for the 

 round leaves which give to it its botanical specific 

 name they have all disappeared, only coming when 

 the plant was springing above ground. We hardly 

 know which of its two popular names conveys the 

 richest associations " harebell " or " bluebell "- 

 we like them both, and both are immortalised in 

 poetry. The Scotch claim this as their favourite 

 plant, and we admire their taste as we have 



