36 FAMILIAR GAliDEX FLOWERS. 



ditions of plant-life. The plants that sting are rendered 

 offensive by the poison glands that accompany the hairs 

 with which their leaves are beset ; these are brittle, and 

 at a touch they part from their attachment and burst 

 and diffuse their acrid secretions. The most terrible of 

 all stinging plants is the devil's leaf (JJrtica urentissima) , 

 which sometimes causes death by tetanus. 



Amongst the plants nearest allied to the rose campion 

 we must name the corn cockle (Ag rostemma githago) , a fine 

 thing as a wilding, and occasionally seen in gardens. 

 Better, however, than this are the scarlet lychnis of China 

 (L. grandijiora) ; the shaggy lychnis [L. Haageana), the 

 petals of which are curiously horned ; . Siebold's lychnis 

 (L. Sieboldi), with terminal heads orbeautiful white flowers; 

 and the German catchfly {L. vitscaria) . These are worth a 

 place in the very choicest selection of hardy plants. 



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