MADDER FAMILY 



Calyx. — Tubular, four-sided, four-toothed, hairy. 



Corolla. — White, tubular, twice as long as the calyx, hairy 

 within, four-toothed ; teeth imbricate in bud. 



Stamens. — Four, borne on the tube of the corolla, alternate 

 with the lobes, scarcely exserted ; anthers bicuspidate at base. 



Pistil. — Ovary adnate to the calyx, two to four-celled ; style 

 much exserted, long and thread-like ; stigma capitate. 



Fruit. — A ball made up of many small capsules crowded to- 

 gether and each containing one or two seeds. 



The Button-bush is a widely distributed plant, found 

 growing by the side of standing water, often ventur- 

 ing in, and always loving the water about its roots. 

 The leaves are large, rather coarse in texture, bright 

 green and shining. 



The flowers are the plant's distinctive attraction. 

 It is apparent that the sphere is a common type of 

 fruit-forms, — the apple, the cherry, the grape, the num- 

 berless capsules and seed-cases of spherical form attest 

 the fact ; but it is not often that nature achieves a 

 sphere in a flower or flower cluster. Yet the flower 

 cluster of the Button-bush is a perfect globe, with 

 thread-like styles protruding from every side. This 

 little globe is made up of scores of tiny cream-white 

 blossoms all crowded upon a central axis, and each 

 one so full of nectar and so loved by the bees that one 

 of the common country names of the bush is Honey 

 Balls. 



The plant is much used in European gardens, where 

 the singularity of its flowering habit and its late season 

 of bloom recommend it to planters. With us it is 

 found by almost every roadside and should be pro- 

 tected and cherished. 



1IO 



