Wild flowers and how to identify them; an introduction to the British flora

BRITISH WILD FLOWERS

PLATE I. — POPPIES. Front is him

WILD FLOWERS

AND

HOW TO IDENTIFY THEM

AN INTRODUCTION TO
THE BRITISH FLORA

BY

HILDERIC FRIEND

AUTHOR OF

'THE FLOWERS AND THEIR STORY,'

'FLOWERS AND FLOWER LORE/

ETC.. ETC.

$ 0 It b 0 It

CHARLES H. KELLY
25-35 CITY ROAD, AND 26 PATERNOSTER Row, E.G.

First Edition, March, 1910
Reprinted June, 1910, March, 1912

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

COLOURED PLATES

Plate I. Poppies Frontispiece

Facing fingt
Water Lilies, Flowering Rush, and Spearwort 1.3

Deadly Nightshade 20

,, IV. Arum, or Lords and Ladies . . . • 32

BLACK-AND-WHITE ILLUSTRATIONS

Page

Fig. I. Primrose and Buttercup ..... 8

,, 2. Mono- and Dicotyledons ..... 9

,, 3. Disk-florets of Daisy . . . • . . .11

,, 4. Narcissus 15

,, 5. Caper-spurge . . . . . . 17

,, 6. Catkins of Hazel 19

,, 7. Dodder (Cusctita) 19

,, 8. Bladderwort (Utriculan'a) 23

., 9. Butterwort ( Pinguicula) 26

,, 10. Sundew (Drosera) 26

,, II. Orchid fertilized by Bees ..... 29

,, 12. Guelder Rose ( Viburnum} . . . .29

., 13. Catkins of Willow 31

,, 14. Foxglove ^Digitalis) . . . . .31

,, 15. Bluebell (Campanula) .... 34

6 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

Pag?

Fig. 1 6. Wild Convolvulus 36

,, 17. White Water Lily (Nymphaea] . . . .38

,, 1 8. Willow Herb (Epilobiitnf) 38

,, 19. Horse Daisy (Chrysanthemum} . . . .40

,, 20. Flag (Iris) 40

., 21. Lily of the Valley (Convallaria] . . . -43

,, 22. Lady's Smock (Cardamine) 43

,, 23. Gentian (Gentiana) 49

., 24. Clover and Vetch (Legwninosae). , . -49

,, 25. Herb Bennet (Geum) 50

,, 26. Snowberry (Syi)iphoria) . . . . -5°

,, 27. Wood Anemone ....... 55

,, 28. Enchanter's Nightshade (Circaea) . . -55

,, 29. Musk Mallow (Malva) 56

., 30. Dandelion in Fruit 56

,, 31. Lords and Ladies (Aruiii) 56

THE PLAN

As one may reach the heart of a city by
many different roads, so the student may find
his way into the heart of flower-craft in a variety
of ways. Many plans have been adopted to
make botany easy. In this little volume we
shall endeavour to use all that is best of the
different methods. Those who take us for their
guide should have a pocket-lens, and should
study the plants where they find them
growing.

It is necessary at the outset to master the
four whorls of a blossom.

(1) The outer whorl, usually green, is the
calyx, and is made up of sepals, either separate
or joined together. Examples are the buttercup
and primrose (Fig. i).

(2) The next whorl, which is usually coloured,
is called the corolla. It is made up of petals,
which may be either separate or joined together,
as in the flowers already named (Fig. i).

(3) Inside the petals come the stamens, and
it is important to notice where they are situated.
In some cases, as in the primrose, they are
attached to the petals. In others, as in the
buttercup, the stamens remain after the petals
and sepals are removed. They are on the
receptacle.

(4) In the very heart of the flower will be
found the pistil, which in the primrose is like

7

, PETALS

FIG. i.— BLOSSOMS OF PRIMROSE AND BUTTERCUP,

SHOWING PETALS AND CALYX.

THE PLAN 9

a pin. It must be noted that some flowers
have not all the four sets of organs. The pistils
and stamens are of the greatest importance
when we come to classification (Fig. 3).

The other parts of the flower or plant, such
as leaves, prickles, tendrils, bracts, glands, fruits
and seeds, are of great value for distinguishing
different classes and orders. Our British Wild
Flowers chiefly fall into two great groups, known
as monocotyledons and dicotyledons ; and they
are distinguished as follows : —

FIG. 2. —DIAGRAM OF MONO- AND DICOTYLEDON.

A. Monocotyledon ; B, Dicotyledon. I. Pistil ; 2. Inner whorl
of stamens ; 3. Outer whorl ; 4. Petals ; 5. Calyx. The
perianth is made up of 4 and 5.

MONOCOTYLEDONS | DICOTYLEDONS

Leaves
with parallel veins. | with netted veins.

Organs of flowers in
threes or sixes. in fours or fives.

Stem

with separable bark. I without separable bark,

wood in bundles, not in rings. | wood in annual layers or rings.

Seeds
with one seed leaf. with two seed leaves.

10 THE PLAN

The crocus, lily, or narcissus (Fig. 4) will
represent the monocotyledons ; the primrose,
buttercup (Fig. i), or geranium may illustrate
the dicotyledons.

All our trees and shrubs belong to the di-
cotyledons. There is only one exception — the
butcher's broom (85).1

As the subject is so large we shall not be
able to classify the trees, shrubs, grasses, sedges,
rushes and weeds. Our wild flowers may chiefly
be studied in three ways: according to (i) the
season, (2) the situation, or (3) the structure.
I shall give some hints on each of these heads,
and follow the suggestions with a list of plants,
arranged somewhat on the lines which Linnaeus
adopted. This consists in noting the number
of stamens and pistils. But, as our plants
fall into families or orders, it will be found
necessary to blend the natural system with the
Linnean.

The following Plan will show how the work
is arranged, and where to look for any given
subject :

I. THE FLOWERS IN SEASON (p. 13).

II. THE FLOWERS IN SITUATION (p. 16).

(1) Hedgerows, banks, and ditches.

(2) Meadows and fields.

(3) Heaths, downs, and commons.

(4) Woodlands and forests.

(5) Marshes, fens, and bogs.

(6) Lakes, ponds, and rivers.

(7) The seashore and estuary.

• The numbers in parentheses refer to the list at the end.

12

THE PLAN

III. THE STRUCTURE AND HABITS OF FLOWERS (p. 20).

(i) General observations.
(2)' The blossom.

(3) Catkins.

(4) Fruits and seeds.

(5) Leaves/bracts, and stipules.

(6) Stems and outgrowths.

(7) Climbing and rambling.

(8) Roots and tubers.

(9) Aromatics and poisons.

(10) Fly catchers.

(11) Spurges and orchids.

IV. THE CLASSIFICATION OF FLOWERS (p. 37).

GROUP

I.
II.
III.
IV.
V

CHARACTER.

2 stamens, I pistil
3 stamen?, I pistil
4 stamens, I pistil
4 stamens, 2 long, 2 short .
5 stamens free

LlNNEAN NAIV

Diandria.
Trianclria.
Tetrandria.
Didynamia.
Pentandria

VI

5 stamens 2 pistils

Umbelliferae

VII.
VIII
IX.

x

5 stamens, several pistils . . .
5 stamens forming a tube .
6 stamens equal
6 stamens unequal . . . .

Pentandria.
Syngenesia.
Ilexandria.
Tetradynamia.

XI.
XII

8 stamens free

Octandria.

XIII

10 stamens equal

Decandria.

XIV.
XV

10 stamens, bases joined . . .

Monadelphia.

XVI.
XVII.
XVIII.

10 to 20 stamens
20 stamens, more or less .
many stamens

Dodecandria.
Icosandria.
Polyandria.

V

BRITISH WILD FLOWERS

AND HOW TO IDENTIFY THEM

I. THE FLOWERS IN SEASON

EVERY one has observed that when-the spring
arrives the flowers appear, and that they become
fewer and fewer as winter advances. The best
time to begin study is in the New Year, before
the flowers bewilder us with their profusion.

Spring Blossoms

The earliest flowers to appear, if we put aside
the daisy, dandelion, groundsel, chickweed, dead
nettle, and a few others which often survive
the winter, are the following : The celandine
(167, ii) with its golden stars, the sweet violet
(74), coltsfoot (Group viii), barren strawberry,
speedwell, and dog's mercury. In the woods
we see the catkins (see p. 25) on the hazel,
alder, willow, and other trees, and find the
fragrant blossoms on the spurge laurel (113).
The primrose (52) is in full flower in March,
and soon the hyacinths make their azure carpet

13

14 BRITISH WILD FLOWERS

under the trees. On dry walls the tiny whitlow-
grass (100) appears, and the adoxa (112) in the
hedgerows, where the tall treacle mustard is also
flourishing. The buttercups (167) come rapidly
forward in April, the anemone (165) flourishes,
and the early orchids (see p. 35) appear.

May Flowers

are almost too numerous to mention. Most of
the trees are now gay with colour — crab, haw-
thorn, wild rose, elder, guelder rose, and others
being in season. The cowslip, lady's smock,
herb robert, mallow (175), pansy, scarlet pim-
pernel (55), avens, and poppies (Plate I) give
beauty to the landscape. Then the

Slimmer Blossoms

burst upon us in all their glory. It will now
be necessary to work hard to keep up with the
new treasures which may everywhere be dis-
covered. The water lilies (Plate II), pond weeds,
iris, purple loosestrife ( 14 1), willowherbs, meadow-
sweet (145), and other moisture-lovers adorn the
streams and lakes ; heathers and their allies are
on the moors ; while the sea holly, horned poppy
(160), celery, sea campion, convolvulus (62), and
other plants of the sea-shore are at their best.

Autumn

is the season for all kinds of seeds and fruits, and,
as these often afford the best means of identify-

FIG. 4.— A STUDY OF NARCISSUS BLOOMS
(see Group ix, p. 51),

l6 IJRITISII WILD FLOWERS

ing plants, they should be carefully studied.
The composites and umbels are mostly in evi-
dence now, but a number of hardy plants, such
as appear in spring and summer, still linger.
Among these are different members of the
buttercup and mint families (Group iv), some
crucifers (Group x), polygonums, and the like.
The pretty grass of Parnassus (79), the stately
foxglove (40), and the bell-flowers (59) are also
to be found. As the year approaches its close,
the ivy (72) and a few other plants come into
bloom, and the fruits glitter in the hedgerows.

II. THE FLOWERS IN SITUATION

It is often easy to decide what a flower is by
means of its habitat. Some plants can only live
in water, others only by the seashore. It is
always well to begin study near home, and as
most of the young people who will use this little
volume live in the country, we may take them,
first, to look for the flowers which grow in

i. Hedgerows^ Banks, and Ditclies

Sweet violets appear early, as well as the
celandine (167). Dead nettle, treacle mustard,
adoxa (112), avens follow. Then come the
barren strawberry and the real strawberry, the
little geranium (131) known as herb robert,
the campion, stitchwort, various plants called
umbels (Group vi) because their flowers spread

FIG. 5.— CAPER-SPURGE.

1 8 15RITISH WILD FLOWERS

out like an umbrella, the bedstraws, agrimony
(142), and mallow (175), to mention no others.
In

2. The Meadows and Fields

we find buttercups and daisies, cowslips (52),
geraniums (131), saffron, orchids (8) of different
kinds, eycbright, various sorts of thistles, and
many weeds. On

3. HeatJis, Dozvns, and Commons

the foxglove (40) flourishes, the whortleberry
and heather abound, the golden potentillas (147)
arc common. Many plants which grow freely
in hedgerows belong also to

4. Woodland and Forest

Here we get various shrubs and climbing plants
growing among the trees. Honeysuckle, bryony,
deadly nightshade or Belladonna (Plate III),
and the spurge laurel (113) are found. The
curious spurges (Fig. 5, No. 144), several orchids
(8), the hyacinth, foxglove, and giant bell-flower
(59) also occur. Woodruff, madder, herb pan's
(in), and many other curious plants also haunt
these sites. In the

5. Marshes y Fens, and Bogs

one is bewildered with riches. The marsh
marigold (168), globe-flower (169), valerian,
orchids, bog bean (60), bog myrtle, mealy prim-

20 BRITISH WILD FLOWERS

rose (52), grass of Parnassus (79), sundew (82),
bog asphodel (93), yellow and purple loose-
strifes, water violet (53), frog-bit (116), water
lily (Fig. 17), cotton grass, water crowfoot, marsh
cinquefoil (148), and gipsy wort are but a few.

6. Lakes, Ponds, and Rivers

yield some of the foregoing, along with others,
such as the lobelia, flowering rush (Plate 1 1), pond
weeds, marestail, and others.

7. TJie SeasJiore and Estuary

have a delightful flora of their own. It is
usually somewhat late, but includes sea holly,
horned poppy (160), viper's bugloss (51), sea
convolvulus (62), thrift, sea heath, campion, sam-
phire, aster, some beautiful thistles, the pretty
sea lavender (80), and the lovely little burnet
rose (151). This must suffice as a general
guide to the situations in which plants may be
found. We turn now to the important subject
of structure.

III. THE STRUCTURE AND HABITS OF
FLOWERS

I. General Observations
Flowers differ in many ways, and it

is by

Knki'f

observing their differences of form, colour, habit,
and structure that we are able to arrange them

PLATE III. — DEADLY NIGHTSHADE.

BRITISH WILD FLOWERS 21

in families and orders. If we look at the shapes
of the blossoms we find some are like a bell
and others like an insect. This one is round,
or salver-shaped, and that is fashioned like a
thimble. When we study the colours we observe
that there is the same infinite variety. We
have the peculiar yellow of the primrose (Fig. i)
and the scarlet of the pimpernel (55). The
flaming colour of the poppy (Plate I) is opposed
to the dazzling whiteness of the water lily
(Plate II). We have large numbers of yellow,
white, and blue flowers ; but even greater
numbers are marked with variations in patches,
spots, lines, and patterns.

Some plants creep, or send out suckers or
stolons ; while others have tendrils, hooks, and
feelers, by means of which they climb and
ramble. If we dig up specimens we observe
that some have corms, tubers, and rhizomes,
while others have scales or fibres. We are
struck by the varying number of sepals and
petals, of stamens and pistils, the solitary blossom
here, the mass of flowers there. Some droop,
others are erect ; these are in broad umbels,
those in spikes, tassels, clusters, or panicles.
While the larger number of flowers open by
day, some are most conspicuous at night, and
many open and close at regular hours. The
goat's-beard, pimpernel (55) or poor man's
weather-glass, and evening campion are well-

22 BRITISH WILD FLOWERS

known illustrations. We are struck by the fact
that some plants are fleshy, others are dry.
These have edible fruits ; those have seeds, with
down or wings, and others possess vessels which
jerk their seeds from them.

Such matters as these it is of the first import-
ance to study. Mere classification, while it
enables us to identify a plant by means of its
organs, teaches us little of its wonderful history,
and the chief end of our study is to teach us
this. As an aid and supplement to the follow-
ing classification, we will now study some of the
many points of structure.

2. The Blossom

is usually the first thing to arrest our attention.
We first note its colour. It may be all of one
hue, as in the buttercup ; or variegated, as in
many of the orchids. The blossoms may be
regular or irregular, with the sepals and petals
separate or conjoined. Flowers which belong
to one Natural Order (N.O.) are usually very
much alike, although there are important ex-
ceptions. We find, for example, a great simi-
larity between all the umbels (Group vi), the
labiates or lip-flowers (Group iv), the orchids,
the roses and buttercups, and other plants. But
differences often exist. The columbine and
monkshood (173) do not look much like butter-
cups, though they belong to the same family.

FTG. 8. — BLADUEKWORT Utricularia).

24 BRITISH WILD FLOWERS

There are many plants among the rose family
(Group xvii) which look very much like butter-
cups (Group xviii) ; but if we study the
explanations attached to these two groups, we
shall at once see how widely they differ. We
ought here specially to note the following :

COMPOSITES (Group viii). Example: Daisy.
Plants whose flowers are compound. Each of
the perfect flowers has five stamens, the anthers
of which form a tube. See Horse Daisy,
Fig. 19.

LABIATES (Group iv). Example : Mint.
Flowers lip-shaped, four stamens, and four seeds
or nutlets in an open receptacle.

LEGUMES (Group xv). Example : Pea.
Flowers butterfly -shaped, stamens ten, seeds
usually in pods. A few plants, such as fumitory
and the little blue milkwort, the butterwort and
bladderwort, somewhat resemble labiates and
legumes, as do also some of the Broomrapes
and Scrophulariaceae (Group iv), Fig. 24.

CRUCIFERS (Group x). Example : Wall-
flower. There are four petals and six stamens.
They can easily be distinguished from other
plants with six stamens (Group ix) by the
number of petals and the shapes of the leaves

(Fig. 22).

UMBELS (Group vi). Example : Carrot.
Flowers spreading like an umbrella, nearly
always white.

BRITISH WILD FLOWERS 25

3. Catkins (Fig. 6)

In many instances the flowers take the form
of tassels, some of which are regular catkins,
while others only loosely resemble these. Many
of our native trees bear genuine catkins, and
may be easily recognized thereby. The catkins
of hazel and birch appear in winter. Those of
the willow are large, and are often called palms.
The alder, poplar, sweet gale (21), and other
shrubs and trees also bear them. In the oak
they are loose, and are not unlike the tassels
found in dog's mercury (115), nettle (17), and
elsewhere.

4. Fruits and Seeds

We generally think of fruits as "sweet and
edible, while seeds are for sowing. That is not
the true difference, but it will suffice for us at
present. Fleshy fruits are found on many kinds
of plants, both herbaceous and shrubby. The
N.O. Rosaceae (Group xvii) is the chief fruit-
bearing family. Fruits vary in colour. We have
one white berry, that of the mistletoe. Another
is often found in hedges and gardens, but it
(Fig. 26) is a foreigner (snowberry, Symphorid).
A large number are crimson, scarlet, or some
other shade of red. Among the herbs we find
red berries on lily of valley, asparagus, straw-
berry, arum, bryony, and bittersweet ; while
the holly, yew, honeysuckle, rowan, guelder

26

BRITISH WILD FLOWERS 27

rose, butcher's broom, arbutus, cranberry, rose,
bramble, hawthorn, sea buckthorn, cherry, and
raspberry are a few of the shrubs and trees
whose fruits are red. Fruits of a deeper hue
are found on the blackthorn, bilberry, elder,
juniper, privet, buckthorn, ivy, crowberry, deadly
nightshade (Plate III), and other plants.

Seeds are of many kinds, and are dispersed
in various ways. We have pappus attached to
the seeds of many composites (Group viii), such
as the thistles and dandelion (Fig. 30), as well as
to those of the willow, the willow-herb (Fig. 18),
the valerian, and a few others. Hooked seeds,
which can lay hold of the hair of animals or the
dress of pedestrians, are found on avens (Fig. 25),
goosegrass, hound's-tongue, \voodrufT, corn crow-
foot, burdock, some trefoils, and other plants. A
few plants eject their seeds in different ways, and
the geraniums (Group xiv), gorse, broom, violet,
and impatient bittercress are specially interesting
in this connexion. Others, like the ash, maple,
and elm, the lime and fir, have samarae, or
winged seeds, which float on the breeze. The
fruits or seeds of the different umbels, geraniums,
legumes, crucifers, and buttercups are of great
value as means by which to distinguish one
species from another.

5. Leaves, Bracts, and Stipules
Many plants can be identified at once by

28 BRITISH WILD FLOWERS

their leaves alone, and all can be arranged under
two headings. Those with parallel veins are
monocotyledons (Group ix), those whose veins
are netted are dicotyledons. A very few leaves
are round, as in pennywort ; others are heart-
or spear-shaped, oval, oblong, or palmate. We
must observe whether they are opposite to each
other or alternate, whether they are in whorls
or scattered, simple or compound, entire or cut
into segments, with plain edges or notched.
Thus the umbels (Group vi) almost all have
much-divided leaves ; in the labiates (Group iv)
they are opposite, frequently on a square stem,
and the lip-shaped flowers have four stamens.
Sometimes the leaves are modified and form
bracts or stipules, and the presence or absence
of these is of great importance. A few plants
seem to have no leaves. The coltsfoot and
saffron (86) bear flowers and leaves at different
seasons. In the butcher's broom (85) the leaves
are replaced by phyllodes, which carry the
flowers.

6. Stems and Outgrowths

The stems may be smooth or rough, and the
roughness may be due to stings, as in the nettle,
hairs of different kinds, hooks, prickles, thorns,
tendrils and other outgrowths. These all have
their uses, chiefly to protect the plants from
their foes, or to enable them to secure a suitable

20

30 BRITISH WILD FLOWERS

hold and sufficient air and sunshine. Hairs may
keep insects from climbing to the honey-pots
and stealing the nectar ; they may prevent
rain and dew from lodging on the plant and
causing decay, or may serve to check evapora-
tion. Nature reaches her ends by many means.
Sometimes a smooth, glossy surface keeps off
the dangerous moisture, as in the leaves of holly
and most evergreens, the celandine, marsh mari-
gold, bog bean and water lily ; while at other
times hairs serve the same end. The prickles
of the rose grow from the bark ; the spines of
the white and black thorn are woody. In the
holly, butcher's broom, gorse, and other plants,
the thorns and prickles are formed by the
hardening of the leaf portions.

7. Climbing and Rambling

Many plants may be recognized by their
habits. Some stand upright, others trail on
the ground, and others use various means for
reaching a height. Hooks and prickles, or stiff
bristles, are used by brambles, roses, goosegrass,
and a few other plants. The convolvulus, hop,
honeysuckle, dodder (Fig. 7), bindweed, twine
round and round ; while vetches, white fumitory,
and others throw out tendrils.

8. Roots and Tubers
Many of the monocotyledons (Group ix) have

32 BRITISH WILD FLOWERS

bulbous roots, which are made up of layers of
fleshy leaves. If we find a bulbous plant with
six petals and stamens, and the veins of the
leaves parallel, we may be sure it belongs
to this group. Other plants have corms or
tubers, as many of the orchids (p. 35), the
pig-nut, bulbous crowfoot, arum (Plate IV), and
moschatel. Some of the umbels and crucifcrs
lay up much material in their roots, and by
encouraging this habit we get our garden carrot
and parsnip, radish and turnip. So starch is
obtained from the arum (176) and potato, which
is represented in our flora by the bittersweet (68).

9. Aroma tics and Poisons

Some plants are harmless, others useful, and
others poisonous. It is well to remember a few
general facts. Nearly all the crucifers (Group x)
are safe, and, if boiled, may be eaten as vege-
tables, even when found in a wild state. Culti-
vated, they yield cress and mustard, cabbage
and cauliflower, radish and turnip, horse-radish
and watercress. Most of the labiates (Group iv)
are aromatic, and from them we obtain mint
and thyme, sage, pennyroyal, and balm. The
umbels (Group vi) are also inclined to be
aromatic, but are often very poisonous. The
order contains the deadly hemlock, but under
cultivation we get from it celery, carrots and
parsnips, fennel and samphire, as well as caraway

PLATE IV. — ARUM.

BRITISH WILD FLOWERS 33

seeds, and a substitute for anise from sweet
cicely. The rose family (Group xvii) yields
many valuable fruits, the buttercups (Group
xviii) such useful medicines as aconite, the
poppies (Plate I) opium and laudanum, the
composites (Group viii) the lettuce, chicory,
tansy, chamomile, and other useful herbs and
roots.

IO. Fly Catchers

A few plants get their living, in whole or part,
by trapping insects and living things. One
family known as bladderworts (5) lives in ditches
and sluggish water. There are three species,
with yellow blossoms, and bladders on the
leaves (Fig. 8), which float in the water, and are
cut into many segments. Closely related,
although very different in appearance and habit,
are the four buttefworts (4), with single violet
flowers and greasy, glandular leaves, which curl
their edges and so capture their prey (Fig. 9).
Then we have the three sundews (82), with their
red leaves covered with dewy glands (Fig. 10).
Among the pink family we also find some plants
known as catchfly (126), on account of the
viscid hairs with which they are covered, and to
which insects are often to be seen adhering.
The curious tooth wort (45) and teasel (10) are
also guilty.

3

FIG. 15.— CAMPANULA, OK BLUKBICLL.

34

BRITISH WILD FLOWERS 35

II. Spurges and OrcJiids

There are two groups of plants which are so
peculiar in their structure that beginners may be
excused if they find it difficult to classify them.
As they cannot very well be placed in any of
the groups which follow, I must draw attention
to them here. The spurges (Fig. 5) will be best
recognized by their caper-like fruits, and their
acrid, milky juice (see Group xvi). There are a
few other plants which yield a similar juice, as
the dandelion, lettuce, greater celandine (161),
and poppy, but these all belong to the compo-
sites (Group viii), or to the plants with open
blossoms and many stamens (Group xviii).
There are about a dozen spurges, and, like the
umbels and composites, they must be set aside
till the student has gained a considerable
knowledge of other plants.

There are about fifty orchids (8) in the
British flora, and the group includes the most
curious and interesting flowers in the world.
They assume the shapes of bees, flies, spiders,
insects, animals, and other living things, and are
worth our best attention. One or two common
kinds (Fig. 11) are found in our meadows, and
if these are carefully studied it will be easy
to recognize the others. They belong to the
monocotyledons, but cannot be placed in the
same group (ix) because they have not six

FIG. f6. -WILD CONVOLVULUS.

BRITISH WILD FLOWERS 37

stamens. Their fleshy leaves, with parallel
veins, strange shapes; and absence of stamens,
will be sufficient guides for their identification.

IV. THE CLASSIFICATION OF FLOWERS

Plants have been classified in various ways.
Some writers have divided them into trees,
shrubs, and herbs ; others have arranged them
according to the colour of the flowers, the shape
of the fruit, or the nature of the root. Linnaeus
taught us to count the stamens and pistils. But
in all these methods the real and natural
resemblances were often overlooked. The apple
is a tree, the rose a shrub, the strawberry a herb,
and the fruits differ, yet their family relation-
ships are strong. They each have five sepals,
five petals, and many stamens. The stamens,
too, are attached to the petals and sepals, and
not, as in the buttercups, to the receptacle. So
they all belong to one family, which has been
named the Rosaceous family, N.O. Rosaceae.

But the beginner has to find out what forms a
family or Natural Order (N.O.) ; and he must
have a guide. I have therefore adopted the
method of Linnaeus, and adapted it to the
natural system. The stamens are the first and
most important organs in the following method.
The young botanist, when he has counted the
stamens, will turn to the classification. He

FIG. 17.— WHITE WATER LILY (Nymphaea alba].

FlG. l8. — ROSEBAY WlLLOW-IIERIi.

BRITISH WILD FLOWERS 39

will find that in the monocotyledons the stamens
are three (Triandria) or six (Hexandria); while
in the dicotyledons they vary. But a dicoty-
ledon may have six stamens. What is then
to be done ? It will be seen that plants with
six stamens fall into two groups. In one the
stamens are equal, and in the other there are
four long and two short ones, and only four
petals. These plants all have a strong family
likeness, and owing to the arrangement of the
petals they have been placed in the N.O. Cruci-
ferae, Group x (Fig. 22).

Again, very many plants have five stamens,
but in some cases they are free, while in others
the anthers form a tube. In the latter case the
flowers are compound, and so we have (Fig. 19)
Group viii, N.O. Compositae, which corresponds
with the Syngenesia of Linnaeus. The arrange-
ment, therefore, is the simplest possible. There
are very few plants with one stamen only,
and these will not be found by the beginner, so I
start with the plants which have two stamens
and one pistil (or more). This forms the second
class in the Linnean system, known as Di-
andria. The term andria in all these expressions
means stamen, or male organ.

No system will include all the plants, because
Nature refuses to be bound by rules laid down by
man. But, once we have got a good hold of the
great laws, the exceptions may be easily mastered.

40

BRITISH WILD FLOWERS

.§ .'.§

'S 5o.2i

SS

V

1 I1!

^ 0 '£ 8 0 x "§

"2

o

1 i °|

111 tfi t ^

"S

3

.c"3 "^ *S

I ^ 1 0-^ b

I

rt

£

"O C Q_, 3

o '5 rt -

' I'Srf -S

82 1 1 '•§ .S g |

^Jc^.Ol I
'S ._r'^O § £

1

0

•o

85S 1

ex s 53 ^ <u — i ^

O

rt

> « 8 g

j^ 17^^ E< J5 O

*^

a

* « 7-f g

^ rt ]s J£ — ^ ^

fcfl/^

c x

3

^ 2^ *^3 -4-t

*"* -•— *" O ^ O ^ '^

. o "~

£

* k^r ^ ^ '^

rt-'-j^^^X'-tcu

< 13 o-

a

Pi ^ O

c/}

c " ^^ ^

^ U-. yZ r* O ? «SP. ^^

Q

> J2 V3 •" "" ^! ^ c

. r- •• n

5 «S

J C3 t/j ,-C Q

^S c!o> ;jr5'rt'g s

2 !5

S P S "wi

^^5J&^-J^rt!jj

(^ "* O

S« 1 £

^•^'T^ s jr. ^s

sS

1 111 1

slll'&l ^

§ if

Lo PH M ;q c/)

£^#£^E^H

!il

.2

• ' • g ' „ g g

o ^

rt

ti "§ ^ "5 <D

'^ •§ 2

00

^ KO^ g tS

Illllill

1-1 % S
^2 ^

?i 8-3
5 S2 c

^ ^"j £" ^ ^

o*x>*'alditi^B^

5 £ rt

2

^^^ CJ ^ ^ ^*5

& W3 „

i

T t^ ^

i HT'i t "It, i-

^ I8.

C C Q_ rf rt

I—! <L> tfi

^ ^<;S S

<^ S H->>— vt>-i"S (< <5

fes

PH ^ ~~^

«

CO *-.

5 ^S

O ^ l""1

*

'• Hi |

^ g S ti ^
> % >-> 9 • w ^

rt £ i> ? CO ~3 S

' n 13 ^

i

| Jc'S S -g

U 5 T3 >~, ^_. |2 o

x £

J

•a -£f £L § S

OH £XU PQ

Su

OJ

C

u

_._ OT rt

pj . . • . .

en

a

E

^ ^-^ ^

i *O t->

'5

Botanical N;

Iff

fill iii

•M ££>J co Oai

1

O-

1

0

d

M N CO

^t" 1^1VO *">• CO O^

.2

fc

H

BRITISH WILD FLOWERS

^s

*p O

C -3 o t3 £ x g

•wSxe»S^-p -r

-•fin g si i ill-? *nr

o ~ —•

l-i'l

x c cT
rt D <u

^ D <U

^ So So

M M CO PH W W

III

::::|i::::;

« s S s .?? s

44

BRITISH WILD FLOWERS

£ H

^

.S o

1.1

- I.
js S

I*

wT O

fi *^J

I J.

isi

ils^ 3- |l!l

,_j ^ Ji _r t! S: _ ^ ^

.§i!i i" If;-!

^ o

S <u S

g

o

II

"rt

8<

*, g
rt

S 2 « s

„•— ' JU — ' U

>H Cj ?• .•£

QJ W It) H 'L'

^S tJ3^-? 7:

« 2 JJ * £T

C **" ^ tn 3

|| j| |

J J 3 « S

Jill I

! liffl!

O « N

f o m ro

0 8

J2 ^
"5 O

BRITISH WILD FLOWERS

>, g

l|l

^ C/2 O

W3 W3 Q ^C

S: ^ cj P. *^ «rt ,^-

Pffjif ?^|i?e:r|

S«l?rS^ Ig^ssl^^

'•

«» S

45

S -3 ^

C3 t£ QJ

> -S

x
1 1 |

8

g

-e -s s
^ p - .^

- H

3 S. >,5 I E .SP o g § £••« J 2

!S M W > O t-5 fe PH en E- ^ >*1S « I

fs'ai^^il-a:.

v/l\Q r^-OO ON C "-"

o rf v/l\Q r^-OO
<; ro ro fO ro fO

46

op

^r ijj U

O ^

M M tn

ill

i

BRITISH WILD FLOWERS

-§ ti

c a

<u 52 «>. «-><UQjt3

t«Cr3C> "S > •"•" fl

IffltiH-.y us

t/3 O

5 2

<U <L)

i!

^"5,2^5
U O O PQ i-l

6 .Is

1/1 •£, o 5 rt

I 1

1 III!

BRITISH WILD FLOWERS

47

|5fif!ili3Jf

"i .S « .£- * ^ ~ u -J b ? ^ -2

oT «N c 07 £^ ^." -^-^ -

• & rt^uS > U'S^S'IJ

I HIM ll|l|l|il||flll

^.lii^iuljpfiui-:!

ISslaSra-^S^SuS-ilE^slS? .*

43 l-1
"3 ^-

a

II

!§
c^ e

>> B

c <u
^^

st|-

aj oo g» j.;

•slls

Is

OT!

SJ3

c o

O <u rt u

< S o S

7^ C r;

^ <D J2 *-»

Si.fcr

• ^ d o

Psi

t/3 D

^<; s-c

^: 3 w

C <n

48

BRITISH WILD FLOWFRS

S IE

^ 111 8

Hfjlif i

c *

J3 •£ x | .3 6, £ ~ g

O ^ "> Hj „ "I tf eg C/5 .'£

rt "" ^ ^ ,?-^ s " o

rt ,15 ^ ^-J3 '^

11111 &II&

O

.-

O >

.s

t « '^ g . S jr « ?

49

BRITISH WILD FLOWERS

3^5
1-1 «

rt .ti

H, ""

-
5. 5*8

^ 0

__ _

— -n ^ - =« S

•^ 2

^ o

'I

f « £

B'S-.S

lls.

ill

Si.2

PI u. ^H

H

OJ tfl

"S

> J3

an

'S^"^1

1 1 .5 I
o o cu-1-1

« M § .

<u <u •- J2
7k*S ^ <u

•i-S-sl-

>"S2 C
||g,2

=5^^^

>^feU^

C o

M-3

^ s ^ i « ! c1

. <u . . .

,5

. -S G "2 S

^ :- O <u O C

= > 2 "f3 P P

uSow^l

« fcn

C 0

•a^.s

^ c o

'

u A

S '

-S • !•-

rj-

OO

BRITISH WILD FLOWERS

c "^

^

.5255
3 33

<" rt j= "rt
5 a^H ^

3

t;^. (

l?l

n^-1

.s 2L

/-V ^

ii

N «5

N^ -2

5 Si

y „; S3 " S .; d S

Structure and Habit.

Yellow flowers, leaves on stems arrow-s
White flowers, large flat pouches. 3 sp

One of the commonest of our weeds.
Leaves forming a rosette on the ground.
White flowers, fleshy plant, pods globos
Often only I inch high, early flowering.
Rich yellow flowers, pods large on stalk
Lilac, I or 2 feet high, bulbiferous, rare
Lilac blossoms, often called cuckoo-flov\
White, anthers violet (C. amara, L.) (F
White, pods snap when ripe and scatter
Yellow, with short pod thicker than stal
Flowers yellow, smaller than garden for
Yellow, pods spreading and knotty. C
White or yellow, pods long and large.

.

01

o

^ Jn (/$

i

01 tn

ty ^ r—J [/j y, J5 O _(-; [/3 0 f/] t/J

1

£E

rt gj cs ^ ^u O oj rt Q LH ^- "l> ^

• ^

>Cti)rt">>:>>C<u ' X K >,

0

i

3^

^ T*^ ^ T*^ l"^^^>^ ^ ^ •— '

«
1

>-,'C

~ Cu

i

la

.ill '1 'SaJ

fc

^ ""*

TJpLn^.'r ^tiSJig ^1

g

01

o3 ^^o^i^-^t;0'^'^

£

v c

S4 'o.S'l-S'S'o'^ o.'ul 1^5

6

Q (^

c^ -=c^^ ^U J K hS i^ ^ ^ ^

^^^

g

rt

- rt.g -^ g rtl .g

§

C/3 (/5

G, Si]"rt£c 'H -|'5rt"cL

c§

^^

rt ajoi-rtiJ cj rt — .;: rt
U HUQuQ U PSUcn^

0

y.

8*

O"* cS 0^*000 o oooo

WILD FLOWERS

53

s <

Pw

c
/-A °

|l

1
rt

f!

C

^ ^

J^

.ti

^ QJ

^

1 *^

1/3 S

c/:

M

<L) rt
;= *

OJ

c

S •-

J^«

i rt

^ ^2

•

a

--I

!?5

1 I

3.f |

-5 ^

c/:

C dT

0 c"=

<U -<_»

<c ^ |

i

situation.

t/) ^1

^s
^

rt cj

* $
II

i; rt

So

KS

i'

x> ^ •

ri

^

C

o

•s .

3

£>
I"!

.2 •"

E

qj ^3

g t/3

1

-s|

i; 2

u

O^fe

B

rt

— ^

i^

rt

t/3 rt

rt

1 1

"3 £

l

7

o

CQ

ffi

6

^ i-O VO

BRITISH WILD FLOWERS

o
|f

vp-S

. 2

s~\ c3

S •£
^^ x

^ ^ i

•^ ^_, o

iH

HH 0

7 1st I

>l'5-3 §E
w fc « $ 8 g

c rt i

l&^|lc| • I ^ o ? i *
^

£
S
^5 g^ 'o rt Ji_rt ,„ PC

*

CQ
o 1^,00 ^ O ^ N <*O ^ *f*>\o r^.00

55

BRITISH WILD FLOWERS

^H
ffi ^

^rt
'o .S

(U X

-5 OH

-" rt p O

t/J t« S r^

o • S v ^

I !

OJ Ul

d &

I S

11

•S Q
Is S.

^2 « « —

'•S (U ^ rt

'^ I 1 I

<U r3

S <u
rt ."3

!~

1 1

|

o c .

!!•£

„_.

0

•S'l

•i^l-

• ~

C
rt

<U

rt 2

QJ CJ ro

ic

"t/J

O

§ S

*^3

-a

C

w

*

og

C > t/j

rt

c

P

•*"" rt

04^ ^H

JJ

.r-t

o

yT^

** OJ ^?

3

<u

2 ^

c c >>

•J.

1

C

§

.1

It

111

to

b

o ___«

•> ^ 'rt

0_

(U

'D.'^

x ^ ^

rt

S

o

If

^ § «

|

c

rt

E

51

'S £ ^

SS o
"*"* r7"1

3

I

••

i»s

rt

o

o

o "S

rt "rt rt

>

PS

^E

^^^

"a,

tJ5

XX

ti) tJ3 bi)

333

1

C/2

^

^ ^

1

i

1
t— ,

II

t— ^

111

I

rt

^

u

tn

fc

3

U

u ^

°^"^

0

"b

T3

r* -5 "^

|

rt

§

11

'r; 'c ~
S -jr o

&

U

S

^s

Hc^c/5

i

«l.i

S «

ils '

£

S

2 ^ rt

3 c

jjj c a *

*c3

3

rt <^-

£*

o ^ S

.§

•1

^ "^5

*3

OJ

^ ^S

•^

> f* >-i

B

o

W

o

M

N

ro

ro

BRITISH WILD FLOWERS

r-X '2 <L>

J5 S S 7

r c s s

UJ > <U JH

quo . .ts °

«gh2~

•5 Sfl O <U

rtrtrt^ ^— -sS^S

pq> PQ

6 I ro 3j •
^ rTO <

BRITISH WILD FLOWERS

59

X O

.a £

rCl *•'

£ T3

_X

?J

2 *

O >, tfl

r< C rt 3

£ -* S o,

£ « 4J. W

S * ^ Sj

-C ^ «J o

« « "2

J'S

•c

C

'rt ?

8 -tf

C <U

3 Ti

<LJ

J a

^ -a ^ a

£ O W) :S

cs —^

C
J5.I

I S

G Si

<U O

3 S

?. ^3

5 §

c .tfl

J5 S

^ *s

X

g
«.§ -

r"! >• K.

73 U)

t/3

O ^ -

« ° C

S ^ S -

£ 5

'— C
rt '^

w ^^ .T:

1^1 *^* -*->

.2 w C,

3 N °

S. a S

i .1

t: .a

o a,
£

c ^,

o „,

lit!

•B S 4i

S 8

O

rt

u

o ^ . >-

-r'S-^.-S

'1=1 **

*o c D
OT Ct, H H U

•S c w

S^ 2

s.

6o

BRITISH WILD FLOWERS

$ s s £» .£ >;

^

rt <u -75 ~ -

* ! § 1 5 1

|| §

« £ ° * "o «
t: to x: o 5 <"

. ^2 c g

S'lS s;

•w o' ^ § * "^ ^

« ^ 7 | S «

*— . OJ ^ X 3 ^f"^- ^J OJ

S •? PS 5 a) -c

^ rc5^£ ln2tijE"rt^

o c rC c: ? o

S ^ x <u - g

•J

." §sJ||stolij

9 a, rs ^ e

cd

^ t/)Ort'''r^r^'-C*"'>%S

- g S «-• ° o

d S •* .fi.fi

. Zl a> <u rf

i 1

rt

i^.iisiiii

* ! 1 "i s i

3

""S-S &^^'"'| g'g'

o 0 * ^ g o-

^-^ S 1 J^

0

3

w o .*2 .« -JJ ^ S ^ p iTT

'5» 5 •" w " ^

*~ ' ' ' *"^ *v ^"^^^S^sTs

— U O bft >M

-2 ^ -d 5 5 .5 ^

HJ .-. OJ *-• t/3

•S §° .-i 2 §• 1 §

^ ^ S 4-. 0 O S

1 2 f 1 ti» • a

&i *C *j ^

<u w ^ x «5 c

-

^ §•« i S g g

- € ^ ^ i «

„, jb ° <U 0 Q

12 T3 -^ L -C .tn -1

§"

w

y c rt o '*J o 2-1
§ ri « «, e ^ o

Ji"fii^-ji

o 5 S A g u -^

tj. ~ B! «j S O **

^

3

Q S > pq S ffi K P^SuS

tO ^ 0 r- r^ e

.2 ^5 ,2 •£ g g -S

Is Ci „ o •- ° -2

tJ) r^1 "^ >-x >-> ti) >-, >% tJQ tJC rv,

H ^ e -s- r§, E !

|

3 h^c/^ ^^-^^^^-^C/)

rf S" >» JS "SP * . ?

JtlllH

S

en

1 IIIII1I.IH

0 -5 rt S a rt

g ti d S o » s

I

V ~

I .f § I -s 1 i
J •£ & 1 § p< £

fc

z . £ o B ^ . §' • PC p-

g«2 D ^ PS 0) ^
c « S « S -5 ^

W ^J C3 r—

E
o

| |lll1|-||||>

5 <3 "J ~" «T ^ *o
« S 9 3 « §

u

§ < u S (/; pa a5 <;'» J j

o 5 S ^

N < o -2 'S b S

05 CX 73 'O ^

i-i • Q tf « S « 9

a

. «r_ . , .-g| .«

^ $ § x rt S S

—

c-- ;^.-z: § -2 . . c ° ^ ^

s is : fe.s^-

•1

g gC-g rt «. 3 rt J'^'g^S

e^ S 2 ! §,£ g

1

'B..3 o c rS' J J ti § _o 5

^

K

CO O CH U * r- 1 r— i << C/2 ^ <i

^

o

ri

rj- T}- rt* ^ r^- ir> in in in in in

FIG. 31. — ARUM SPATHE AND SPADIX.

(p) Palisade to keep insects inside the flower.

(See Group xviii).

6l

62

BRITISH \VILD FLOWERS

fill

° >-. •

s art

ll
11*

" J ^ 8 J

o c J I o,

o d, A £ ^

QJ i, , " O

K g

s=Sb*

| s u l£, ° S2 « £f ILs . I to ?

|l|||fl JlrEHl I

. o ox**

2 ^ ^ ;: «" .a s £ ^ .i ? °°,

vrf £ ^ J= " Kn ^ w -M S3 -5 2 ^ t/i 9^^S

sl-sl-sf i|is:t° I loll

I «•£ P „ ' CflJ O OCNlr-*1^

- - _ „ O

-§s§-^

"3 "3 f, .S .t! .tJ .IS .ti ^ ^ o ^ -S <u "3 ^ s >,^

0.0-^3333 3' — — — ^— .5 ° CL, qj"1-10

M

tJ5 tJO >,>,>,>

53 "3 "3 "3*3

Iffc'j

-S S 55g
tg B t: ^ —

<u • •
il.

. S
£ c

-=! S cd « o c •" :-

ON Q M M ro TJ- LO

N O M M
i^O vO \O

BRITISH WILD FLOWERS

.2 fc

.2 •§

S
<u

S

a

^o

S"

1

15 2

II

3 II

•-'«• S

o
rn

$ i

« 8

a

<8'rt
en t/j </i ^n ,c r

in 22 2 2 2 22 5
wEESE SS

S ••S Bo

1.1 1

CPrtrtrt rtrtr^rtgG fl
3 3 ^ ^ TH ««-i — JIT^ S3 S

»— ^i— >^ <5 <5 i^; <^ <; i^;

J^ C ^ C

3333

•SS2c^

- 3 S O ^ C0,o « o rt C

WUUS O S3 U n3 S I

g G^ ^c^_^

^5 g -3 ^

3 5 s< a^

HU c^ c/3*5

5^

iiaiii

« C O 3 ^ £•

§-2.Sfi %

= 1 ll'ltsl

OO ON
VO VO

Piinted by the

''Southampton Times" Company, Limited,
70 Above Bar, Southampton.

vO

•H
•P

C
(D
TD
•H

O
•P

O CO

•H t-t

JH <D

0) >

TJ O

H H

•H W
W

Q)

£

f§

UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO
LIBRARY

DO NOT

REMOVE

THE

CARD

FROM

THIS

POCKET