
PLANTS GROWING IN MUD. 47 
name indicates, it is poisonous, Chickens especially have fallen 
victims to eating its seeds, and the fatal mistake has been made 
by individuals of using the young leaves for those of the marsh 
marigold, in which case death has been the result. 
PITCHER-PLANT. HUNTSMAN’S-CUP. SIDESADDLE- 
FLOWER. (Plate XV.) 
Sarracenia purpurea. 
FAMILY COLOUR ODOUR RANGE TIME OF BLOOM 
Pitcher-plant. Crimson, green, or pink. Fragrant. Mostly north June. 
and east. 
Hlowers : nodding ; solitary ; growing on a naked scape about one foot high. 
Calyx : of five large, coloured sepals having three bractlets underneath. Co- 
rolla: of five incurved petals that close over the umbrella-like top of the style. 
Stamens: numerous, /istz/: one; branching at five angles like an umbrella, 
and five hooked stigmas. Leaves: the shape of pitchers, open, with an erect 
hood, and side wings, the margins folded together ; conspicuously veined with 
purple. 
It is only because we are ill-informed about plant-life that it 
ever surprises us ; and to have passed beyond the brink of won- 
der at the actions of the pitcher-plant, argues a good amount 
of knowledge. It is one of the most stragetic of the insectivo- 
rous plants. The ieaves have their margins united together, so 
as to form quaint little pitchers, closed at the bottom and open 
at the top. They are lined with a sticky, sugary substance 
that entices small insects to explore to their depths. Here the 
pitchers, with an absolute disregard of all Christian charity, 
have arranged innumerable little bristles, pointed downwards; 
and once entrapped the poor victim can escape in neither di- 
rection. The rain is also held by them, and serves to drown 
any mite that is unusually tenacious of life. We generally find 
them partly filled with water and drowned insects, which afford 
the plants an extra amount of nourishment. These leaves often 
remain a curious feature of swamp life until Jack Frost covers 
them with his white overcoat ; but in the exquisite spring bloom 
is when the plants are most ravishing in their beauty. Froma 
distance they appear like the mystic blending of colours ina 
Persian rug. 
