Descriptive Flora 



157 



creeks. Slender spires of small white flowers blossom out of the 

 thick, leafy lower half of the plants. Lower stem leaves spatu- 

 late, entire, rounded at the tips, often spoon-shaped, 1 to 3 inches 

 long, the blade continuing as wings on the petiole from y 2 to 2 

 inches. Upper stem leaves similar to basal leaves but with clasp- 

 ing base. Flowers small, white, 3/16" across, solitary on slender, 

 threadlike, ascending pedicels that branch out of the leafless, 

 slender upper branches. Corolla 5-lobed. Stamens 5, incon- 

 spicuous. March to late summer. 



Samolus floribundus H. B. K. Water Pimpernel. Brookweed. 



Similar to the preceding species in general appearance of the 

 flowers but flowers are more numerous, much smaller, less than 

 y% across, the racemes shorter and coming out of nearly all of 

 the axils of the upper leaves. Leaves similarly clustered at base 

 but not as large. Stem leaves without clasping base, (14 to 1*4 

 inches long), oval or spatulate. Differs also in the absence of 

 minute glands along the flower stem and on the calyx. March to 

 July. In mud and moist soil along creeks or on wet limestone 

 ledges. 



Atiagallis arvensis L. Shepherd's Weather-glass 



Scarlet Pimpernel. 



Annuals with weak, 4-sided, smooth stems (grooved on the 

 two narrower sides), opposite simple leaves, and small, scarlet 

 flowers (%" across), solitary on threadlike axillary pedicels. 

 Leaves simple, opposite. Blades broadly ovate to oval, entire, 

 sessile, about y<£ long, often nearly as broad, and having more 

 than 1 vein at base. Sepals 5, membraneous margined, narrow. 

 Petals 5, scarlet, purplish at base. Stamens 5. Filaments slender, 

 purple, usually covered with white hairs at the base. Pods the 

 size of small peas, splitting into 5 parts, and containing numer- 

 ous, small, granular seeds. Waste places. March, April and May. 

 Not common. 



