96 ANEMONE VIRGINIANA. —THIMBLE-WEED. 
specific characters. On one occasion, the writer found a specimen 
in which the central flower was stalkless, or sessile. In this case 
it had but three petals, and these were protruded between the 
three flower-stalks growing from the flower’s base, and which, as 
we have already seen, are transformed branches from three axil- 
lary buds. By this lesson we can comprehend why the middle 
stalk has no leaves, or involucels, as the three laterals have. If 
it were to have them, they would have to be formed of the five 
leaves now used to make the sepals. 
Lesquereaux tells us that in Arkansas the species is known as 
“Tall Anemone,” and this indeed is a very characteristic name ; 
the plant growing in many cases from two to three feet high. 
Darby says in his “ Botany of the Southern States,” that in that 
section of the country it is known as “ Thimble-weed,” the name 
obviously derived from its almost mature head, which, in many 
cases, has a very thimble-like appearance both in form and 
marking. 
It is found somewhat frequently in most of the eastern part 
of our territory, from Canada to South Carolina, being, however, 
most at home in the northern latitudes, where it has travelled 
completely across the continent. The color as usually seen is 
greenish ; but forms have been found with pure white flowers, 
and a judicious selection might reward the florist with showy 
improvements. 
EXPLANATIONS OF THE PLATE.—1. Upper portion of a flower-stalk, made from a Pennsyl- 
vania specimen in July. 2. The central branch arrested to form a flower-stalk with its 
naked peduncle. 3. Axillary branches, finally bearing each a sealer flower-stalk. ode 
Axillary Jeaves, transformed to involucre and involucel. 5. Longitudinal section showing 
the receptacle, with carpels attached. 
