WILD FLOWERS , PINK 
market vegetable, which yields a thickening sub- 
stance used in making soup. Still another kinsman, 
the Rose of China, is a hot-house species, whose petals, 
it is said, are employed by Chinese housewives in 
staining their teeth black! 
MEADOW BEAUTY. DEERGRASS 
Rhéxia virginica. Melastoma Family. 
There is a pleasing individual air about this delicate 
beauty that is always sure to win our admiration as it 
sways its captivating golden-spangled, bright purple 
flowers among the tall grasses of our sandy marshes 
during August. With slightly winged angles, the 
square, more or less hairy, rather stout and branching 
stalk grows from twelve to eighteen inches in height. 
It is grooved and of a light green colour. The thin, 
finely toothed, pointed oval leaves have three noticeable 
ribs, and they are arranged in alternating, opposite 
pairs. They are stemless, and a few hairs are scattered 
sparingly over their otherwise smooth surface. “The 
large, fragile flowers are gathered in small terminal 
‘clusters, on slender, leafy branches which spring frem 
the angles of the leaves in corresponding pairs on this 
nicely balanced plant. They usually open one at a 
time, and perish soon after they are plucked. The 
four rounded, spreading petals are inserted on the 
summit of the hairy, urn-shaped calyx. The eight 
long, purplish stamens are capped with large, semi- 
circular, bright yellow anthers which are very con- 
spicuous. The pistil is long, slender, and crooked. 
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