238 PLANTS GROWING IN SANDY SOIL. 
ST. ANDREW’S CROSS. (Plate CXXJT) 
_Ascyrum hypericoides. 
FAMILY COLOUR ODOUR RANGE TIME OF BLOOM 
St. John’s-wort. Yellow. Scentless. Mass. to Florida July, August. 
and westward. 
Flowers: clustered at the ends of spreading flower-stalks.° Ca/yx: of four 
unequal sepals. Corol/a: of four oblong petals. Stamens: numerous. Pistil: 
one; styles, two. Leaves: opposite; narrow; entire; sessile ; smooth and 
spotted with a darker colour. S¢ewz: much branched. 
This low, leafy member of the St. John’s-wort family is very 
pretty and may be found in light, sandy soil, or pine barrens, 
especially those of New Jersey. The petals, which are not longer 
than the sepals, spread out in the shape of St. Andrew’s cross. 
SHRUBBY ST. JOHN’S-WORT. (Plate CXX//Z) 
Hypéricum prolificum. 
FAMILY COLOUR ODOUR RANGE TIME OF BLOOM 
St. John’s-wort. Yellow. Scentless. New Jersey to Georgia. July, August. 
Flowers: clustered at the ends of the branches. Ca/yx : of five sepals. 
Corolla: of five spreading pointed petals, tinged with scarlet in the centre. 
Stamens : indefinite in number ; protruding. Pistil : one; styles, three. Pod: 
red; three-celled. Leaves: numerous ; opposite ; oblong. Stem : branched ; 
reddish. 
The shrubby St. John’s-wort is rather the coxcomb of the 
family and has decidedly the air of being very much pleased 
with itself. Its prolific supply of protruding stamens gives it a 
light fluffy look which enlivens any bunch of flowers and addsa 
touch of beauty to the sandy, barren soil where it grows. 
Thoreau mentions that at the time of the longest days in the 
year the St. John’s-wort begins to bloom, 
PRICKLY-PEAR. -INDIAN FIG. 
Opuntia humifusa. 
FAMILY COLOUR ODOUR RANGE TIME OF BLOOM 
Cactus. Yellow. Scentless. Northeastern states. Sumueer. 
Flowers: \arge ; solitary ; sessile ; axillary from the side of the stem joints. 
Calyx: of numerous sepals. Corol/a: of eight to twelve petals arranged in 
ranks. Stamens: numerous. /7sti/: one; stigmas, numerous. Fruit: pear- 
shaped; edible. Stem: successively jointed ; “fleshy, spiny, and provided with 
tufts of stiff, reddish-brown bristles. 


