flDustarb ifamil^. 



Herb of St. Barbara. Barbarea vulgaris. 



Yellow Rocket. 

 Winter Cress. 



Found in sunny places, by clear water and in moist meadows 

 during May. 



The single stalk, from 12 to 16 inches in height, is branching only 

 for the flowers ; it is large, fibrous, and strong, grooved, but very 

 smooth, and of a shining, pure, green color. 



The lower leaves are 3 or 4 inches long, lyre-shaped, and cut nearly 

 to the midrib into 5 or 7 irregular lobes, the middle lobe being very 

 round; the upper leaves are cut less deeply, and are small ; the margins 

 are entire, the texture strong, and the lower surface rough, the upper 

 being smooth and shining; in color, dark full green. The lowest 

 leaves are on clasping stems, all the rest clasp the stalk with a pair of 

 wings, alternately. 



The 4 petals of the small flower are rounding, and arranged in 

 pairs within the small 4-parted green calyx ; they are of a charming 

 light yellow color, and so are the 6 stamens. These stamens group 

 themselves oddly about the central pistil, — two pairs stand in front of 

 the pairs of petals, and the single shorter stamens fill the more open 

 spaces left in the opposite angles. The flowers form loose terminal 

 groups. 



The stalk springs from a foot-rosette of the rich green leaves, and 

 is one of the earliest risers of the spring, in its chosen home — a marshy 

 meadow. 



52 



