48 
WILD FLOWERS OF THE BRITISH ISLES 
Rare. Generally an escape from gardens and possessing small claim to be counted a native. 
On rubbish heaps, in woods, and on hedge-banks, in England and the south of Scotland. April — 
May. Perennial. 
X. GROMWELL. (LITHOSPER MUM. Linn.) — Flowers small, blue or whitish, in i-sided 
leafy clusters coiled in bud (scorpioid cymes). Calyx of 5 sepals, only united at the base, free 
from and inserted below the seedcase (inferior) ; corolla of 5 petals, united into a funnel-shaped 
tube and spreading into a 5-lobed limb, the throat of the tube open, not being closed with scales, 
but often having 5 small bosses ; stamens 5, included in and inserted upon the corolla-tube ; 
carpels 2, with the style undivided ; fruit of 4 very hard and stony little nuts, attached at the 
base to the flat receptacle. Hairy herbs, or undershrubs in some exotic species, with alternate 
undivided leaves. 
(1) Common Gromwell. (Lithosper'mum officinale.) — Flowers small, yellowish-white; nuts 
shining grey, smooth ; stem erect, stout, and much branched. 
(2) Corn Cromwell. (Lithosper'mum arven'se.) — Flowers white; nuts shining brown, wrinkled ; 
stem erect, slender, slightly branched. 
(3) Purple Gromwell. (Lithosper'mum purpureo-cceruleum.) — Flowers large, bright blue ; 
nuts shining white, smooth ; flowering stem only erect, barren stems very leafy and 
prostrate. 
1 . Common Gromwell, Grey Millet. (Lithosper'mum officinale. Linn.)— As just 
described. The small yellowish-white flowers are in clusters terminating the erect stem and in the 
axils of some of the upper leaves ; the little grey nuts are very hard, smooth, and shining, and 
remain on the leafless stems in the autumn ; the stems are stout, and erect, 1-3 feet high, branched, 
and with adpressed hairs ; and the leaves are lance-shaped, pointed, stalkless, and with minute 
hairs. [ Plate 18. 
Rather rare. Waste places, waysides, and dry open woods ; widely spread through England and 
Scotland, but scarce in Ireland. June — August. Perennial. 
2. Corn Gromwell. (Lithosper'mum arven se. Linn.)— A very similar species with 
larger, whiter flowers ; pale brown little nuts, polished but wrinkled ; shorter, less rigid, and less 
rough stems, about 1 foot high, and less branched ; and with smaller, narrower, lance-shaped 
leaves. 
Not uncommon. In cornfields, cultivated ground, and waste places ; widely spread through 
England, Scotland, and Ireland. May — July. Annual. 
3. Purple Gromwell. (Lithosper'mum purpureo-cceruleum. Linn.)— A very 
beautiful species with larger bright purple-blue flowers ; smooth, white, shining nuts, about as large 
as a hemp seed ; the flower-clusters forked on erect wiry stems, 1-2 feet high, and the barren 
stems prostrate, arching, and much more leafy ; the leaves narrowly lance-shaped and very 
pointed. 
Very rare. In woods on chalk or limestone, in the south of England and Wales. May — July. 
Perennial. 
XI. FORGET-ME-NOT. (MYOSOTIS. Linn.) — Flowers small, pink in bud, and becoming 
blue, or rarely yellow, with a yellow eye, and white scales, in 1 -sided clusters coiled in bud, in the 
axils of the upper leaves and terminating the stem (scorpioid racemes). Calyx of 5 sepals, more 
or less united at the base and separating into 5 lobes, free from and inserted below the seedcase 
