Part 6

(GERANIUM SYLVATICUM)

Seventeen species of Geranium or Crane’s-bill, so named from the shape of the seed, are met with in Switzerland, and several of them are rather difficult to distinguish from one another.

The Wood Geranium is found in England, but is not very common. In Switzerland it is exceedingly abundant on the borders of woods and in rich mountain meadows and pastures between 3000 and 7000 feet. Though a beautiful plant it is by no means welcome to the herdsman, for it is not good for fodder. The finely divided leaves are well seen in the photograph. The purple-blue flowers have more of a tinge of red in them when they first open. The Wood Geranium will be recognised by its erect stem, hairy above, leaves which are arranged opposite to one another, purple-violet flowers with petals that are not notched in the middle, and sepals drawn out to a long point. The Brook Crane’s-bill (Geranium rivulare) has white flowers varied with red, and the Meadow Crane’s-bill (Geranium pratense) has larger flowers which tend to hang down, and the Blood Geranium (Geranium sanguinum) has unbranched flower stalks and notched petals.

GERANIUM SYLVATICUM. L.

The Wood Geranium or Wood Crane’s-bill. Géranie des Forêts. Wald-Storchschnabel.]

The Alpine Clover

(TRIFOLIUM ALPINUM)

This plant is the most beautiful and most sweetly scented of all the clover tribe. The long conical root stock which penetrates far into the soil terminates above in many radiating branches. On these are borne the long stalked leaves, composed of three narrow leaflets with serrated margins. The flowers, which are larger than those of any other clover, are borne in a group of four to twelve on top of a long flower stalk. They begin to appear early in June and continue coming out till the end of August; they are usually of a delicate pinkish-purple colour, but occasionally a cream or white variety may be found. The Alpine breezes are often filled with their delicate fragrance. When the flower fades the petals are not shed, but remain attached to the seeds and act as wings which aid in their dispersal. Unlike most of our English clovers, which are annuals, the Alpine clover is a perennial and lives for many years, throwing up fresh leaves and branches every spring. The thick solid rootstock of some of these plants must be many years old. This species is very common in the meadows and pastures in the central Alps between 5000 and 8000 feet, where it grows in greatest abundance and especially luxuriantly on primary granitic rock. It is probably a true native of the Alps, but is also found in South Tyrol, the Pyrenees, and the Carpathians.

The Alpine clover will be readily recognised by its few-flowered flower-heads and narrow pointed leaflets arranged in groups of three. The much rarer Trifolium pallescens is perhaps a little like the pale flowered variety, but it has many flowered flower-heads and ovate leaflets.

TRIFOLIUM ALPINUM. L.

The Alpine Clover. Trèfle des Alpes ou Réglisse des Alpes. Alpenklee.]

The Brown Clover

(TRIFOLIUM BADIUM)

Unlike the greater number of Alpine plants which persist from year to year the Brown Clover is a biennial, that is to say, its life is limited to two years, and at the end of its second summer the plant dies off. It is found abundantly in the limestone districts of Switzerland between 4000 and 7000 feet, and flowers in July and August. It grows in meadows and pastures, and seems to prefer a moist, open spot, where the competition with other plants will be less severe. Thus it is met with on moraines, on the fresh soil brought down by avalanches and streams, and even on the dirt heaps around Alpine cow houses. The much-branched brownish stem bears the rather long-stalked leaves, composed of three leaflets with serrated margins and blunt points. The flower-heads, made up of numerous florets closely packed together, are at first of a golden yellow colour. As the individual flowers fade—and the lowest fade first—they become brown and scale-like and turn downwards, and the dry brown corolla remaining attached to the seed forms an important aid in its dispersal by the wind. The Brown Clover is widely distributed in the mountain regions of Central Europe. It will be readily recognised by its globular flower-heads of yellow flowers and bright green leaves made up of three leaflets, which are arranged opposite to one another on the upper part of the stem.

Trifolium spadiceum is very like the above, but is not so common. Its flower-heads become more elongated and change to a darker brown tint than those of the plant here photographed as the flowers fade.

TRIFOLIUM BADIUM. SCHREB.

The Brown Clover. Trèfle brun. Braunklee.]

The Cold Mountain-Lentil

(PHACA FRIGIDA)

The Cold Milk-Vetch or Mountain-lentil—to give a literal translation to its popular Swiss name, for it has no English—is a typical Alpine plant, found in fair abundance between 5000 and 8000 feet, perhaps most frequently in limestone districts. In rocky places or mountain meadows it often grows in profusion, but it seems to avoid the pastures. The stem is usually unbranched, about 6 or 8 inches high, and bears the pale yellow or cream-coloured flowers and the bright green leaves, made up of four or five pairs of leaflets with an odd one at the tip. The leaves are arranged in pairs opposite to one another, and where they join the stem a couple of pale broad wing-like stipules are attached. It is unfortunate that these are not well seen in the photograph, for they are the most characteristic thing about the plant. The Cold Mountain-lentil has an extensive range, being found in mountain districts all over Europe, Northern Asia, North America, and in the Arctic regions. It is thought to have originated in the Steppes of Northern Asia.

Phaca alpina differs from the above in being a somewhat taller plant with branched stem, deeper yellow flowers, leaves made up of nine to eleven pairs of leaflets, and smaller, narrower, stipules.

PHACA FRIGIDA. L.

The Cold Milk-Vetch or Mountain-Lentil. Phaque Froide. Kalte Berglinse oder Einfache Gletscherlinse.]

The Dull-Flowered Sweet Clover or Alpine Sainfoin

(HEDYSARUM OBSCURUM)

The Alpine Sainfoin is the only member of the sixteen European species of Hedysarum (Sainfoin) that is found in Switzerland. The plant consists of a thick, dense underground stem which persists from year to year and serves as a storehouse for food. Underground branches extend outward from this in various directions and give rise to ascending shoots bearing leaves and flowers. The short stalked leaves bear eleven to nineteen leaflets which are arranged in pairs; the purple-red flowers occur in clusters. The flowers are visited by bees on account of the honey they contain. By means of a sort of catapult arrangement, which only goes off when the bee settles on the flower, the body of the insect becomes dusted with pollen and as the bee travels from flower to flower pollination is effected. In the Western Alps a variety of this plant with yellowish flowers is occasionally to be found. The seed vessel of the Alpine Sainfoin is very characteristic. It is not unlike an ordinary pea-pod, but is smaller, more flattened, and divided into two or three oval segments by constrictions. The plant is fairly abundant between 5000 and 8000 feet, and flowers in July and August. It is rare in meadows, but is found on the rocky borders of Alpine pastures and on the banks of streams. It is met with in all parts of the Alps, in the mountainous districts of Europe and Asia, and in the Arctic regions, and is thought to have taken origin in the Steppes of Northern Asia. It should be very easily recognised. The drooping habit of the flowers and the constricted seed-pods are most characteristic.

The flowers of this species have generally more red in them than those of the specimen photographed.

HEDYSARUM OBSCURUM. L.