112 
THE ELOWEE OF THE AXE. 
In describing the Flower of the Axe, we speak not of the 
blushing rose, nor the pale scented violet, nor the yellow 
cowslip, which, while it forsakes the greatest part of Devon- 
shire, still thrives in our lovely vale. We speak of a flower 
of a blue colour and an acrid taste, so rare, so peculiar to a 
certain portion of this locality, that not all England can 
produce its like again. Neither has it ever yet received an 
English name. Its scientific designation is Lobelia urens. 
The inhabitants call it ‘^The Flower.” If a stranger bota- 
nist be observed rambling abroad and gathering wild flowers 
at some little distance from the favoured spot where this 
child of nature has cradled itself, the natives will exclaim : — 
‘‘ You are in the wrong direction, sir, The Flower does not 
grow there.” After searching and searching a little farther, 
perhaps he finds the plant, and, if not, after bestowing a 
trifling douceur, the peasant directs him to a place where 
he may gather a few stray specimens, so choice, so prized, 
because so rare. It belongs to the natural order Campanu- 
lacese and the tribe Lobeliese. The tribe Lobeliese difiers 
from Campanuleae (the other tribe of the Campanulaceae) in 
having the flower irregularly divided, and the anthers united. 
The Campanulaceae have the flowers more or less bell-shaped, 
divided into five lobes, and inserted on the calyx. The 
Lobelieae are principally found in the warmer parts of the 
world. Only two of this tribe are found in England. Even 
in Europe few of these plants grow. In the hotter countries 
of South America, the Cape of Good Hope, and in the 
North of India, they are seen in great luxuriance. They 
abound in a milky juice, which in all is acrid, and in some 
cases produces dangerous, or even fatal consequences, when 
applied to the surface of the body, or taken internally. 
