220 PLANTS GROWING IN LIGHT SOIL. 
the beauty of the brilliant flower. Dr. Erasmus Darwin, when 
speaking of American catchflies, said, “The viscid material 
which surrounds the stalks under the flowers is a curious contri- 
vance to prevent insects from plundering the honey, or devour- 
ing the seed.” 
STARRY CAMPION. (Plate CXIIT,) 
Szléene stellata. 
FAMILY COLOUR ODOUR RANGE TIME OF BLOOM 
Pink. White. Scentless. General. Sune, July. 
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Flowers: clustered loosely in a panicle. Calyx: swollen; reddish, sticky, 
with five lobes. Corolla: of five deeply fringed petals. Stamens: ten; ex- 
serted. P/stil: one; styles, three. Leaves: sessile; lanceolate; whorled in 
fours, or opposite in pairs on the upper and lower part of the stem. Stem: 
two to three feet high ; reddish coloured. 
The deeply fringed petals and yellow-green leaves of the 
starry campion form masses of delightfully cool colouring that 
seem to breath the freshness of the midsummer woods. It is 
in the evening that the flowers unfold, although in much shaded 
woods they remain open until noon of the next day. The plant 
is a conspicuous catchfly. 
GROUND-NUT. DWARF GINSENG. (Plate CAL ra 
Pdanax tréfolium. 
FAMILY COLOUR ODOUR RANGE TIME OF BLOOM 
Ginseng. White. Scentless. New England westward; April, May. 
southward to Georgia. 
Flowers: tiny; imperfect; clustered closely in a slender-stalked umbel and 
forming a ball of bloom. Calyx: short; with five small teeth. Corolla : of 
five petals. Stamens: five. Pistil: one. Fruit: deep yellow. Leaves: three, 
whorled below the flower and divided into three to five sessile leaflets. oor- 
stock; tuberous; deeply seated in the earth. 
The round fluffy ball of tiny blossoms just rising above the 
leaves gives this plant a very pretty and innocent look, It 
rests so peacefully in the spring woods that it seems a shame 
to disturb it to dig for its tubers. They are edible and have a 
sweet, pungent taste, 

