Wild Flowers as They Grow 



into clusters at the top of the stalks. In both cases 



they are much larger than the flowers of the ling. 



The Cross-leaved Heath is so called because the 



leaves, grouped in fours, form a series of crosses all 



down the stems. The leaf-edges turn downwards, 



and are fringed with tiny hairs ; sometimes these 



hairs carry glands, and indeed, the whole plant is 



covered with a soft down. Although each leaf is 



very small it is still further subdivided into many 



minute segments. 



The flower is a very interesting example of a 



piece of floreJ mechanism and well worth special 



attention. The rosy-pink corolla, bell-like, hangs 



mouth downwards ; it bulges somewhat round the 



centre, but draws together at the mouth and finishes 



off with four little teeth which speak of the four 



petals that have gone to its making. The clapper 



of this flower bell is represented by the ovary column, 



whose sticky end almost closes the mouth of the 



bell. Round this mute clapper hang eight stamens, 



their filaments following the curving hues of the 



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