BLUE AND PURPLE FLOWERS 
Shooting Star (Dodecdtheon Meadia). Primrose family. 
April, May. 
A perennial herb with maximum height of twenty inches. 
The stem (scape) rises from a cluster of leaves at the base, and 
bears at the top several flowers (three-fourths to one and one- 
fourth inches long) in an umbel-like cluster, each flower having 
a long stalk. The corolla has five long lobes, bent backward; 
the stamens form a cone. The leaves are somewhat lance- 
shaped and blunt-pointed. Woods. Pennsylvania, West and 
South. The Greek name signifies twelve gods, supposed to 
protect the plant originally so named. 
Sea Lavender. Marsh Rosemary {Limonium caroUnianum) . 
Leadwort family. July to October. 
A perennial of the marshes having a freely branching, leafless 
stem, with average height of about a foot and a half, bearing 
tiny, bracted, lavender flowers, panicled or scattered; petals five, 
clawed; calyx tubular, five-lobed. Leaves clustered at the base, 
thick, oblong, with stalks. Common on salt marshes. Ancient 
name of wild beet (Britton and Brown), presumably from a 
meadow (Gray). 
Pickerel-weed {Pontederia cordata). Pickerel-weed 
family. June to October. 
A perennial with stout stem (one and one-half feet) rising 
from the water. Flowers light-blue, in thick spike; perianth 
(assemblage of petals and sepals) funnel-formed, two-lipped, 
each lip three-lobed, the three lower lobes separating, the upper 
with two yellow spots. The leaves, one from the stem, average 
six by four inches, heart-shaped to arrow-shaped, generally 
blunt; those from the root with sheathing stalks. Common 
in shallow water. Generic name given in honor of Pontedera 
of Padua. 
250 
