In early summer this plant, which clambers so perseveringly over the moist thickets which line our country lanes, is comparatively inconspicuous. The racemes of small greenish flowers are not calculated to attract one’s attention, and it is late summer or autumn before the thick clusters of greenish fruit composed of the winged seed-vessels arrest one’s notice. At this time the vine is very beautiful and striking, and one wonders that it could have escaped detection in the earlier year.
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Dalibarda repens. Rose Family.
Scape.—Low. Leaves.—Heart-shaped, wavy-toothed. Flowers.—White, one or two borne on each scape. Calyx.—Deeply five or six-parted, three of the divisions larger and toothed. Corolla.—Of five petals. Stamens.—Many. Pistils.—Five to ten.
The foliage of this pretty little plant suggests the violet; while its white blossom betrays its kinship with the wild strawberry. It may be found from June till August in woody places, being one of those flowers which we seek deliberately, whose charm is never decreased by its being thrust upon us inopportunely. Who can tell how much the attractiveness of the wild carrot, the dandelion, or butter-and-eggs would be enhanced were they so discreet as to withdraw from the common haunts of men into the shady exclusiveness which causes us to prize many far less beautiful flowers?
Starry Campion.
Silene stellata. Pink Family.
Stem.—Swollen at the joints, about three feet high. Leaves.—Whorled in fours, oval, taper-pointed. Flowers.—White, in a large pyramidal cluster. Calyx.—Inflated, five-toothed. Corolla.—Of five deeply fringed petals. Stamens.—Ten. Pistil.—One, with three styles.
In late July many of our wooded banks are decorated with the tall stems, whorled leaves, and prettily fringed flowers of the starry campion.
Closely allied to it is the bladder campion of the fields, S. Cucubalus, a much smaller plant, with opposite leaves, loosely clustered white flowers, a greatly inflated calyx, and two-cleft petals. This is an emigrant from Europe, which was first naturalized near Boston, and has now become wild in different parts of the country, quite overrunning some of the farm-lands which border the Hudson River.
PLATE XXIV
Dalibarda repens.