WILD FLOWERS RED 
the roots of which this uncanny plant absorbs its 
nourishment. 
RED, OR SCARLET PIMPERNEL. POOR MAN’S 
OR SHEPHERD’S WEATHER-GLASS. RED 
CHICKWEED. SHEPHERD’S CLOCK. 
BURNET ROSE 
Anagallis arvénsis. Primrose Family. 
The neat little terra-cotta or brick-coloured flowers 
of this common, low-spreading plant have a popu- 
lar reputation for forecasting rain by closing their petals 
in advance. The Pimpernel is found in sandy soil 
in waste places, from May to August, where it grows 
annually from four to twelve inches in length. The 
ancients used this plant as an antidote for poison, and 
it has been recommended as a local remedy for sores. 
The twisted, square stalk is smooth and shiny, and 
lies upon the ground. The small, oval leaves are 
usually arranged in alternate pairs along the stalk. 
They are rather loose-textured, have an entire margin, 
and are somewhat clasping. The under side is 
speckled with numerous fine, black dots. The pretty 
five-parted, wheel-shaped flower varies greatly in colour, 
from flesh to scarlet. The divisions are finely toothed 
at the apex, and the five purple, hairy stamens are _ 
tipped with yellow. The green calyx has five tiny 
grooved parts. The flowers are set singly in slender 
stems which spring from the axils of the leaves. They 
are really very sensitive to the light, and only open in 
the bright sun, closing quickly whenever it is obscured. 
Anagallis is Greek, meaning delightful. The plant 
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