There are five petals, each with a deep nick in the centre, as if a three-cornered piece had been cut out. These petals lie flat open round the rim of the reddish-green cup formed by the sepals; and if you pull the sepals apart, you find that the petals have long strap-shaped ends which go right down into the cup.
There is a curious thing about this plant. You find one pink flower with a bunch of stamens inside the cup. You can see their tips peeping out where the pink petals all meet together. There is no seed-vessel in the middle. And in another plant, that looks just the same till you examine it, you find no stamens, but instead there is a green seed-vessel in the centre of the cup, with fine, wavy green threads at the top which stand out where the petals join.
The stem of the Red Campion is red and sticky, and the leaves grow opposite each other in pairs which clasp the stem.
If you crush the leaves and stalks they give out a strong scent which is not pleasant.
1. DOVE'S-FOOT CRANE'S-BILL 2. HERB-ROBERT
3. STORK'S BILL
1. DOVE'S-FOOT CRANE'S-BILL
The Dove's-foot Crane's-bill is known to us all. You will find it flowering by the roadside from May to September.