THE WILD FLOWERS OF THE MONTH.
BY HARLAND COULTAS, PROFESSOR OF BOTANY IN PENN MEDICAL UNIVERSITY, PHILADELPHIA.
THE early spring flowers, whose lovely forms were nurtured amidst the falling snows of February and the rude cold winds of March, have disappeared from the wild parterre of nature. Flora's first offering, how welcome to the botanist! The vernal sun now pours forth on the cold damp earth floods of warm, life-giving radiance. Vegetation is in full activity, and by the forces of nature the earth and atmosphere are being woven into green leaves and beautiful flowers. Behold the rich feast which is provided for the support of every living thing. There is not an insect wantoning in the sunbeam, or a bird singing sweetly amongst the branches, or a poor worm crawling at your feet, for which ample provision has not been fully made.
To those who are interested in botanical pursuits, the country now possesses an especial attraction. June is pre-eminently the month of flowers. To describe them all would fill a volume. We will, however, mention the following, which are both abundant and beautiful, and may be very easily procured:—
Fig. 1.
AQUILEGIA CANADENSIS (Wild Columbine).—This beautiful plant may now be found growing out of the crevices of the rocks on the west bank of the Schuylkill, between Manayunk and Columbia Bridge. It has biternate leaves, or leaves which are twice three parted and deeply toothed at their margin. Fig. 1 shows the foliage and flower of the Columbine. The sepals of the calyx and petals of the corolla are of the same color, and so intermingled as to be not easily distinguished from each other. The corolla is composed of five horn-shaped petals, one of which is shown detached at a. The petals are curved at the upper end and form a sort of coronet, terminating below in spurs or horns which contain honey. The five oval and colored sepals of the calyx alternate with them. The stamens and styles are exerted, or hang below the mouth of the corolla. The corolla and calyx are of a beautiful scarlet or rather coral color, and the whole plant, together with its drooping, pendulous flowers, is really an ornament to the barren rocks from which it springs. How wonderful that so much beauty should thus flourish in so unpromising a situation! b Represents the appearance of the fruit after the flowers have faded and fallen, which consists of five carpels or follicles, many seeded and acuneinated by the persistent style. c, A separate follicle.
Fig. 2.
HOUSTONIA CŒRULEA (or Quaker Lady).—The fresh green grass on every hill-side is now adorned with the tufts of this beautiful wild plant. It grows, however, most luxuriantly in moist, shady situations. This plant is easily recognized by its profusion of handsome bright blue blossoms, fading to white, with a yellow eye. Fig. 2 shows the form of its leaves and flowers. Each little plant, when examined apart from the rest, presents a few forked branches an inch or two in length. The radical leaves are spatulate, the corolla monopetalous and salverform. It has four stamens and one pistil. a, One of the anthers opening longitudinally. b, Cross-section of that anther magnified. c, The capsule enveloped by the persistent calyx. d, e, Views of the dehiscence of the capsule.
MITCHELLA REPENS (Partridge-berry).—This pretty little evergreen is now in flower in moist, shady woods, about the roots of trees. Its stem and branches trail along the ground, bearing opposite ovate leaves, and pairs of white, monopetalous, four cleft, and singularly villous or downy-looking flowers. After flowering, a bright scarlet berry is produced by the coalescence or engraftment of the drupes or fruit of each pair of flowers, which is crowned with the calyx teeth of each of them. This plant commemorates Dr. John Mitchell, an early correspondent of Linnæus and an excellent botanist. The berries remain over winter.
EPIGŒA REPENS (Trailing Arbutus).—This is a favorite spring flower, especially with ladies. It is very abundant in the woods on the banks of the Wissahicon. It may be readily distinguished by its prostrate stems, which bear evergreen, reticulated, rounded, alternate leaves, and axillary clusters of rose-colored flowers, which are most delightfully fragrant. The stem and stalks of the leaves are bristly with rusty hairs. Name derived from [Greek: epi], upon, and [Greek: gê], the earth. Ten stamens and one pistil will be found within the floral envelops.
CLAYTONIA VIRGINICA (Spring Beauty).—This plant is common in moist woods on the banks of the Schuylkill. It is named in honor of John Clayton, one of the earliest botanists of this country. It sends up in early spring from a small, deeply buried tuber, a simple stem bearing two linear lanceolate, opposite leaves, and a simple raceme of pale, rose-colored flowers. Fig. 3 is a representation of this ornament of the vernal woods. Sepals of the calyx, two, ovate, free, green, and persistent; that is, they remain after the corolla has faded as a protecting envelop to the fruit. Stamens, five, adhering to the claws of the petals. Style, three-lobed. Capsule, three-valved, three to five-seeded. a Shows the persistent two-leaved calyx enveloping the capsule. b, A section of the dehiscing or opening capsule, with the seeds in its interior.
Fig. 3.
VIOLA PEDATA (Bird's-Foot Violet).—This is the largest and handsomest of the wild violets, and is exceedingly abundant in the sandy soil of the pine-barrens in the neighborhood of Camden, New Jersey. It is called bird's-foot violet, from a fancied resemblance between its leaves and the feet of birds. Its flowers are large, pale-blue, and exceedingly showy. The beautiful Phlox subulata, or moss pink, grows in the same pine-barrens in company with this violet, and cannot fail to be recognized.
The earth at this season is adorned with the utmost profusion of flowers. Now is the time to secure good specimens. We shall introduce a few more of these beautiful strangers to your notice in another article.