378 THE BOEAGE EASIILT. 



3. Field Myosote. Myosotis arvensis, Hoth. 



(Eng. Bot. Suppl. t. 2629.) 



An annual or sometimes biennial, with a weak stem often above a foot 

 long. It has the hairy foliage and deeply cleft calyx of the wood M., but 

 the corolla, although variable, is much smaller, with a shoi-t, concave limb. 

 Calyx shorter than the pedicels, or scarcely so long even when in fruit, with 

 narrow segments, erect when in fruit. 



On hedge-banks, in cultivated ground, the edges of woods, and bushy 

 places, throughout Europe and central and northern Asia, and in North 

 America. Tlie most common species all over Britain. Fl. all summer and 

 autumn. Some of the larger-flowered specimens are difficult to distinguish 

 in the dried state from the smaller-flowered ones of the wood M., but when 

 fresh I have never observed any really intennediate forms. 



4. Early Myosote. Myosotis collina, Hofi'm. 



{M. arvensis, Eng. Bot. t. 2558.) 



A low, much branched, hairy annual, seldom attaining 6 inches ; the 

 leaves mostly collected in radical tufts, with a few at the base of the flower- 

 ing branches, which consist chiefly of the slender racemes ; the pedicels 

 seldom above a line long. Calyx, when dry, exactly like that of the field M., 

 but in the living plant its segments are spreading, not erect, after flowering. 

 Corolla verj' small, of a bright blue, with a small, concave limb. 



On dry, open places, in central and southern Europe, to the Caucasus 

 and the western Himalaya. Not so frequent in Britain, but apparently 

 more so in the south of England than further to the north. FL early sum- 

 mer, and dies soon after. A white-flowered and more permanent variety 

 is often cultivated. Occasional intermediate forms excite some doubts as 

 to whether this be really specifically distinct from the field M. 



5. Changing Myosote. Myosotis versicolor, Fers. 



{M. scorpioides, Eng. Bot. t. 480. f. 1.) 

 A httle hairy annual, with a more simple and erect stem than any of the 

 foregoing, irom a few inches to near a foot liigh, with a spreading tuft of 

 radical leaves, and a few erect ones along the stem. Flowers small and 

 nearly sessile ; the calyx-segments quite closed over the fruit after flower- 

 ing ; the coroUa small, at first pale yellow, and turning blue as it fades. 



On banks, in meadows and pastures, in central and southern Europe 

 and western Asia, extending northwards into Scandinavia. Abundant in 

 Britain. Fl. spring. 



VI. AX.KAMET. ANCHUSA. 



Coarse, hairy biennials or. perennials, with rather large blue flowers, in 

 one-sided spikes, with a bract under each flower. Calyx deeply 5-cleft. 

 Corolla with a straight tube, often shghtly enlarged at the top, and closed 

 at the mouth by scales usually hairy ; the hmb spreading and 5-lobed. 

 Stamens included in the tube. Nuts rather large, wrinkled, angular, at- 

 tached by their broad, concave base. 



The species are numerous in southern Europe and western Asia, a very 

 few extending far to the north. 



Leaves lanceolate. Flowers in terminal forked panicles 1. Common A. 



Leaves broadly ovate. Flowers in short axillary spikes 3. Green A. 



