Plants -- Identification; Wild flowers -- Great Britain
The Common Hedge Mustard (_Sisymbrium officinale_--order _Cruciferæ_) is
a very common roadside plant, with stems and leaves so closely set with
hairs that they effectually hold the dust. It bears small, yellow
flowers, which appear during June and July; and it may be easily
distinguished from allied plants by its long and narrow, downy, tapering
pods, which lie close against the stem. Its stem grows from one to two
feet high, and is freely branched.
[Illustration: THE HEDGE MUSTARD.]
The Felix Weed (_S. Sophia_) of the same genus is moderately common,
grows to about the same height, and bears small, greenish-yellow flowers
from June to August. The stem of this plant is only slightly hairy,
slender, erect, and branched; and the leaves are divided in a pinnate
manner, with long, narrow segments similarly cut. In this genus the
sepals are longer than the petals; and the narrow, tapering fruits are
constricted between the numerous seeds.
The Dyer's Weed, also known as the Dyer's Rocket and the Yellow Weed
(_Reseda luteola_), is a plant of a habit similar to that of the Wild
Mignonette, and belongs to the same order (_Resedaceæ_), but may be
distinguished from the latter by its four sepals and four petals. It
owes its popular names to the fact that it was formerly employed for the
purpose of dyeing woollen fabrics. This is a common wayside plant,
especially in calcareous districts, and often reaches a height of three
feet, flowering during July and August.
Passing to the order _Caryophyllaceæ_, we note the Deptford Pink
(_Dianthus Armeria_)--a downy plant, a foot or more in height, with an
erect, slightly-branched stem; and very narrow, opposite leaves, from
one to three inches long, joined together at the base, and mostly acute
at the tip. The flowers, which bloom in July and August, are
rose-coloured with white spots, and are grouped in terminal clusters,
with a very narrow, pointed bract below each calyx, usually as long as
the calyx itself. This plant is to be found principally on dry banks and
on waste ground, but it is not common.
[Illustration: THE FELIX WEED.]
The Red Campion (_Lychnis diurna_) is common on the banks of wayside
ditches, as well as in copses and other moist and shady places. It has a
hairy stem, from one to two feet high; hairy, ovate leaves in pairs; and
red (rarely white), unisexual flowers which close at night. The male and
female flowers are on separate plants. The former have ten stamens; and
the latter a superior ovary which ripens to a globular capsule with five
teeth that spread horizontally or even curve downwards. In both the
calyx is tubular, with five triangular teeth; and the petals have
spreading, deeply-notched limbs. The plant flowers during June and July.
[Illustration: THE DYER'S WEED.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account