146 FLOWERS OF FIELD, HILL, AND SWAMP 



21. Yellow Avens 



G. stricium has root -leaves pinnate, with wedge-shaped 

 leaflets, and stem-leaves 3 to 5-divided, with oblong, acute 

 leaflets. .Stipules prominent and deeply cleft. Pistils many, 

 forming burs with hooked bristles in fruit, on a soft, downy 

 receptacle. 



This is a pretty flower, with graceful foliage 2 to 5 feet high, 

 dotting the New Jersey meadows in summer. Found also west- 

 ward to Minnesota and Kansas. 



22. Queen-of-the-prairie 



Spiraea lob'ata. — Family, Rose. Color, deep pink. Leaves^ 

 pinnate, with a large terminal leaflet, deeply cut, attended by 

 prominent, kidney-shaped stipules. Time, June. 



Sepals and petals, generally 5, sometimes 4. Stamens, numer- 

 ous. The handsome flowers are borne, clustered, in a long, 

 compound panicle, on a long peduncle. 2 to 8 feet high. 



A stately, beautiful plant adorning the meadows and prairies 

 south and west of Pennsylvania. Its leaves when crushed give 

 forth the odor of sweet birch. 



23. Grass-of- Parnassus 



Parnassia Caroliniana. — Family, Saxifrage. Color, white. 

 Leaves, i on the flower stem, near the base, clasping ; others 

 from the root, roundish, somewhat heart-shaped, with thick 

 petioles. Time, July to September. 



Sepals, 5, somewhat united. Petals, 5, white, large, veined 

 with green or yellow. Five good stamens. At the base of 

 each petal is a cluster of bodies which will puzzle many stu- 

 dents. They are sterile filaments of defective stamens, 3 in 

 each cluster. There are 4 stigmas, without styles, over the 4- 

 valved capsule. 



Very pretty, conspicuous flowers, which it is a pleasure to find. 

 Flower stem I to 2 feet high. Flower i to 2 inches broad. New 

 England to Florida and westward. 



