BEAR'S BREECH 



BEAR'S BREECH 



Acdnthus mollis. 



Acanthus, Greek, a thorn or spine; referring to the spiny calyx of 

 some species. 



Leaves. — Mostly radical, two feet long; sinuately pinnatifid. 



Flowering-stem. — Two, three to four feet high, bearing white or rosy 

 flowers in loose spikes. 



Calyx. — Of four unequal segments, two sides being smaller than the 

 others. 



Corolla. — Tubular with a single three-lobed lip. 



Stamens. — Four, two longer than the others. 



Ovary. — Two-celled; style thread-like. 



Capsule. — Two-celled, each cell containing two seeds. 



Acanthus mollis was introduced into England from Italy nearly 

 four hundred years ago and has been in cultivation there since that 

 time; but the plant is not common in this country and, all in all, 

 is more interesting than beautiful. A single specimen well placed 

 might be valuable, but the foliage needs space and the flowering 

 spikes are inharmonious with softer vegetation. 



421 



