Part 55

There are no leaves, for the vine, stealing its food from honest workers, has no use for them.

The small, broad bell-shaped flower spreads at the top into 5 short divisions; the corolla is of a dull white color, and the inconspicuous calyx greenish-white. The flowers are crowded in thick humps, at short intervals along the twisting stems.

The globular seed-box begins soon to swell within the flower, and develops while the blossoming still goes on. The Dodder starts at first, like an honest plant, from the ground, but as soon as it finds a convenient plant to tap, it breaks its connection with the earth, and wraps itself closely about its victim.

NIGHTSHADE FAMILY.

SOLANACEÆ.

*Nightshade.* Solanum Dulcamara.

Found in flower in June and July in moist grounds.

The stalk, erect at first, branches and takes to climbing later; it is nearly smooth, and quite tough, with a strong, coarse odor; green.

The leaves, from 2 to 3 inches long, are somewhat variable in shape, the lower ones being heart-shaped, while the upper ones are deeply cut at the base into 2 long narrow lobes; they taper at the tip, and are on short foot-stems (about 1 inch long); coarse in texture; dark green.

The 5-pointed star-shaped corolla is of a deep purple color, with a yellow cone, made of 5 stamens, in the center; the calyx is small, bell-shaped and 5-notched; brownish-green. The flowers, on short curving foot-stems, hang in loosely branching clusters from the angles of the leaves.

The oval berry ripening, in August and September, is bright red, while those of the Deadly Nightshade are blue-black. Its coarse odor betrays its kinship to the potato plant.

FIGWORT FAMILY.

SCROPHULARIACEÆ.

*Common Lousewort.* Pedicularis Canadensis. *Beefsteak Plant.*

Found on roadside banks, and in dry copses, during May.

Several flower-bearing, leafy, stout stems, 6 to 10 inches high, spring from a foot tuffet of leaves.

The foot-leaves are large and long, and set on long, wide, grooved, hairy stems; the stem leaves taper at each end, and are at first set on short stems, and above clasping; all the leaves are often and regularly cut like a feather, a resemblance increased by the finely toothed margin; with strong midribs, coarse texture, and shining surfaces. The color is dark green, the lower leaves dashed with red-purple, the stems being also red-purple. The leaves occur alternately, and not near together, along the stems.

This curious flower is 2-lipped: the upper is flat and curved, with a two-pronged tip, the lower is 3-lobed, the edges curled inward; their surface shining; the upper lip is a dark purplish-red, the lower, pale yellow, while the throat is reddish. The pistil pushes out between the prongs of the upper lip. The deep and somewhat square calyx is parted beneath the lower lip; it is of a coarse, and hairy aspect, and colored light green, edged with dark red. The flowers, set close, in the hold of little bract-like leaves, are arranged spirally, in a round terminal spike.

As the fresh blossoms climb upward the spike lengthens and becomes club-shaped. The withered flowers cling long after their color has faded; when newly opened, they are all yellow, their beak-like upper lips only faintly flushed with the red, which, presently, assumes so sanguinary a hue that there is some occasion for the waggery of the local folk-name of “Beefsteak Plant.”

*Wood Betony.* Pedicularis lanceolata. *Lousewort.*

Found in swampy places during August and September.

The sometimes branching stalk, from 1 to 2 or 8 feet in height, is round, shining, and generally smooth, or with an occasional roughness. Light green in color.

The long oval leaf is cut into oblong divisions, and the margin is finely toothed, which increases its resemblance to a fern leaf; the strong ribs show plainly, and the color is pale green, inclining to yellow. The leaves, on short stems, are placed in pairs, which point at right angles to each other.

The corolla has a curious one-sided look, because the curving beak-like upper lip closes so tightly down upon the 3-lobed under lip as to push it askew; its color is a pale and somewhat muddy yellow. The 2-parted calyx is deep, and the tips spread; it is green. The flowers are set within the hold of little curved and notched leaves like bracts, in pairs, forming a terminal spike.

Only two or three flowers bloom at one time, and the withered corollas cling long to the calices, which gives an untidy appearance to the plant. The leaf and calyx are decorative in growth.

*Indian Paint-brush.* Castilleia coccinea. *Painted Cup.*

Found in June, growing in low grounds, and wet meadows.

The single, leafy stalk rises from a cluster of root-leaves; it is 8 to 10 inches in height, somewhat square-angled, and hollow, of a tough, rather course fibre, with a hairy surface. Color, dull crimson, the short hairs being gray or white.