Wild Flowers as They Grow 



hairs are finer and softer, and not so glandular, but 

 among the flowers they are sharp enough again to 

 prick smartly one's lips if placed to them. 



The flowering spikes are not only brilliant, they 

 have a striking individuaUty, and a distinction 

 largely due to a curious curl that they form as the 

 days go by. In their early days, such as are depicted 

 in our plate, they are almost straight, and rosq-red 

 buds appear at the tip. As they open these lose 

 their rosiness and streak with purple ; then, as 

 the flower is fully revealed, the petals stand as a 

 bright blue tube, large and yawning. 



Yet another pecuharity marks the flowers of the 

 Viper's Bugloss. They all arise on the upper side 

 of the bowing stem, and there they stand crowded 

 together side by side, a small green-pointed leaf 

 standing erect by each as if on guard. Thus this 

 " scorpiod C5ane," as the botanists call this form 

 of curving flower-spike, from its resemblance to the 

 curly tail of the scorpion, has deep pink buds just 

 showing at the tip ; purpUsh, pink-streaked opening 



no 



