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F. G. LLOYD—WILD PLANTS : 
flowers, most of them hearing their flowers in spikes or clusters. 
The prevailing colour is blue or purple, and in many the bloom, 
when first opening, is of a reddish hue, so that it is not unusual 
to see flowers of different tints in the same spike or cluster. One 
species, the viper’s bugloss, was supposed to resemble the head of 
the viper in its seed, and also to cure the bite of the viper, by the 
doctrine of signatures. The most interesting genus in this order 
is undoubtedly the Myosotis , scorpion-grass, mouse-ear, or “ forget- 
me-not,” one of the most beautiful of our wild flowers. It may 
also be called a most poetical flower, it being supposed to have 
taken its name from a legend of a knight, who, in trying to gather 
its blooms for his ladylove, sprang into a deep and quick-flowing 
river. As the stream overpowers and carries him away, he throws 
the flower to the lady, and with his last breath exclaims, “ Torget- 
me-not.” It seems a pity to disturb so pretty a legend, or the idea 
that so sweet a flower should always have borne so sweet a name; 
but there can be no doubt that this flower is not the original forget- 
me-not, and that the name originated in a far less poetical manner. 
This plant has only borne the name about sixty or seventy years 
(from about 1821); from the middle of the fifteenth century to 
that date the name was given in Germany, Trance, the Netherlands, 
and England, to Ajuga Chamcepitys , the ground-pine, field-cypress, 
or goutweed (one of the bugles), which derived the name from 
being so nauseous, that once any one had tasted it, it was a certain 
case of u forget-me-not.” Before the fifteenth century there is no 
doubt that this name was given to the germander-speedwell, from 
the rapidity with which its beautiful flowers fall to pieces. The 
speedwells derive their name from the fugitiveness of their blossoms. 
Solancicece. — Of the Nightshade tribe some members are most 
poisonous, others being wholesome and nutritious vegetables. The 
most important is the potato, first successfully introduced into this 
country by Sir Walter Raleigh in 1586. 
ScrophulariacecB.- —The Tigworts include some of our handsomest 
wild flowers, such as the fox-glove ( Digitalis ) and snap-dragon 
{Antirrhinum). The fox-glove contains a powerful poison used in 
medicine to control the action of the heart. 
Labiatce. —The Labiates are remarkable for in no single instance 
possessing injurious properties. Many are fragrant and aromatic, 
some, such as lavender, being well known for their perfume ; 
others, such as peppermint, thyme, mint, sage, balm, and rosemary, 
are used in medicine and as condiments. 
Primulacea. —The Primrose tribe is a well-known one, inhabiting 
mostly the cooler regions of the northern hemisphere, and being 
mostly early bloomers, as the name primrose, taken from “ prim a 
rosa,” the first (or earliest) rose, denotes. 
Plantaginacece. —The Plantain tribe is best known in the country 
by the common plantain used for bird-seed, and from which in 
Trance a mucilage is made, used to stiffen muslin with. 
Chenopodiacece. —The Goosefoot tribe is so called from a fancied 
resemblance of the leaf to a goose’s foot. 
