CHICKWEED WINTERGREEN.
Trientalis Americana.
HIS pretty starry-flowered little plant is remarkable for the occurrence of the number seven in its several parts, and was for some time regarded by botanists of the old school as the representative of the Class Heptandria.
The calyx is seven parted; the divisions of the delicate white corolla also seven; and the stamens seven. The leaves form a whorl at the upper part of the stem, mostly from five to seven, or eight; the leaves are narrow, tapering at both ends, of a delicate light-green, thin in texture, and of a pleasant sub-acid flavour. The star-shaped flowers, few in number, on thread-like stalks, rise from the centre of the whorl of leaves, which thus form an involucre to the pretty delicate starry flowers. This little plant is frequently found at the roots of beech-trees; it is fond of shade, and in light vegetable mould forms considerable beds; the roots are white, slender, and fibrous; it is one of our early May flowers, though, unless the month be warm and genial, will delay its opening somewhat later. In old times, when the herbalists gave all kinds of fanciful names to the wild plants, they would have bestowed such a name as “Herbe Innocence” upon our modest little forest flower.
| 4 VERONICA AMERICANA | 3 RUBUS ODORATUS | 1 PYROLA ELLIPTICA |
| (American Brooklime) | (Purple flowering Raspberry) | (Shin Leaf) |
| 2 MONESES UNIFLORA | ||
| (One flowered Pyrola) | ||