Everybody gathers it on the edges of the ponds and rivers, and everybody loves its brilliant blue flowers, which have white centres and yellow scales that partly shut up the mouth of the flower. Its bright green leaves are hairy in dry situations and nearly smooth when in the water. Its name too, and the curious anecdote which gave it this name, adds a double interest, and a double beauty to this little gem of the water. The story is this :-A young lady who was walking with her lover on the banks of the Danube, saw a bunch of this plant growing in the stream, and admiring its particular beauty she desired him to procure some for her, he reached the wished-for flowers from the bank, but in doing so lost his hold and fell into the water; he struggled long, but was unable to stem the rapid current, making however one last effort before he sank for ever, he threw the flower to his lady love, and exclaimed, 66 Forget-me-not ;"-since this time the plant has been the emblem of memory, not only in Germany, but over almost all Europe. "Sweet azure flower, with golden eye, That on the meadow banks doth lie ; Or, by the quiet streamlet fed, On pillowing moss doth rest thy head; Who by thy gems unmarked can pass? Bright gleaming through the dewy grass."-S. WARING. FIELD SCORPION GRASS. Myosotis arvensis. Plate 2-Fig. 15. Calyx when in fruit closed. Limb of cor. hollow, equal to tube. A hairy plant, common on cultivated ground, hedge banks, &c., growing four or five inches high, with very small, light blue, beautiful and delicate flowers, with yellow eyes; on footstalks longer than the calyx. The hairs of the calyx are spread out and hooked, the spike of flowers, as in all the species, is turned round at the top, growing upright and the flowers expanding by degrees. O. S. Rock Scorpion Grass, very beautiful but rare; found only on the highest of the Scotch mountains. Early Field Scorpion Grass, with very minute blue flowers. Different-colored Scorpion Grass, with flowers yellow at first and blue afterwards. Tufted Water Scorpion Grass, and Upright Wood Scorpion Grass, both of them blue and beautiful; the former not uncommon in wet places. PIMPERNEL. SCARLET PIMPERNEL. ANAGALLIS. Anagallis arvensis. Plate 2-Fig. 16. A little straggling plant, with bright scarlet flowers, of one five-cleft petal, the edges of which are set with glands or hairs. The yellow stamens are collected close round the style in the middle. When the flowers have passed away, the stalks which supported them twist round in a very remarkable manner, until the capsule (which is many-seeded) bends downwards, and its top falling off, it is thus curiously made to sow its own seed. But this is not the only thing worthy of admiration in our present little favorite-its delicate flowers go to sleep or close up soon after two o'clock in the afternoon, and open again at seven in the morning. They close up also some hours before rain, and so true and exact is the plant in this respect, that it is commonly called "The Poor-Man's Weather Glass." Thus by a simple weed we may tell the hour and foretel the weather, and many a time have I feared the coming storm, until seeing the gay flowers of the Pimpernel expanded I have been sure of warmth and sunshine. Closed is the pink-ey'd Pimpernel, 'Twill surely rain, I see, with sorrow, Our jaunt must be put off to-morrow."-Dr. JENNER. "Of humble growth, though brighter dyes The trailing stems allure Of Pimpernel, whose brilliant flower Warning the swain to sheltering bower, From humid air secure."-MORAL OF FLOWERS. A very pretty poem too on this flower is in that delightful book, "The Romance of Nature." It ends thus:— Now the wise little flower, wrapped safe from harm, Sat fearlessly waiting the coming storm. Just peeping between Her snug cloak of green, Lay folded up tight, Her red robe so bright, Though broidered with purple and starred with gold, No eye might its bravery then behold."-TwAMLEY. The other only species is the Bog Pimpernel, a very delicate rose colored flower, that grows on wet heaths, "where cultivation never smiled." There is a blue variety of Anagallis arvensis that was once thought to be a distinct kind. LOOSESTRIFE. LYSIMACHIA. COMMON LOOSESTRIFE. Plate 2-Fig. 17. Leaves lanceolate, nearly sessile. Flowers in terminal clusters.. A noble, showy, upright plant, that adorns the banks of rivers, growing three or four feet high, and bearing at the top of all the stems and branches, large panicles of fine yellow flowers. The leaves are smooth, lanceolate, two and sometimes three or four together. WOOD LOOSESTRIFE or YELLOW PIMPERNEL. L. nemorum. Plate 2-Fig. 18. Leaves ovate, sharp. Stem creeping. Calyx segments narrow. Common in woods, creeping on the damp ground, and flowering all the summer months. The corollas are large, yellow, on long stalks, rising from the axils of the leaves. The five divisions of the calyx are narrow and sharp pointed, and the capsules when ripe are twisted towards the earth as they are in the Scarlet Pimpernel-hence one of its names. CREEPING LOOSESTRIFE or MONEY-WORT. L. nummularia. Plate 2-Fig. 19. Leaves roundish, blunt. Stem creeping. Calyx segments broad. Frequent not only in damp woods, but on garden rock-work, where it grows very rapidly, and being in flower from June to September, it is a great ornament to such places. It differs from the last species in the divisions of the calyx, which are here much broader. The stem is also thicker-those bearing the solitary flowers do not twist round, as in the other, when the capsule is ripening; the leaves are rounder and blunter, so much so that the present plant is called Moneywort, and as these leaves are opposite, or two together, it has the name of Herb Two-pence, or Two-penny Grass.. O. S. Tufted Loosestrife, which is very rare in England. CENTAURY. ERYTHREA. COMMON CENTAURY. Erythræa centaurium. Found in flower from July to September, on dry pastures, |