Each flower sits in a green cup, which is made up of five sepals joined together. Round the mouth of the cup are five sharp teeth, and you can see, much more clearly than in the Common Whin or in the Broom, where each separate sepal begins. After the petals and stamens fall off, the seed-vessels grow into large, fat pods which are commonly tinged with purple. If you are not in the country until the petals have fallen, you will easily recognise the Needle Whin by these fat pods. Sometimes five or six or more grow near the top of each short stem. The leaves of this tiny Whin are very small and have scarcely any stalks. Growing up the main stem are many very fine spines or leaf-thorns, as sharp as needles. From these the plant gets its name. PLATE V: 1. ST. JOHN'S WORT. 2. COMMON AVENS. 3. TORMENTIL. 1. ST. JOHN'S WORT This is a tall, handsome plant, whose flowers appear late in summer among low-growing bushes or on the hedge-banks. Each flower has five pale yellow, pointed petals, which open like a star. On these petals there are often many small black dots. The flowers grow on short stalks, which always rise between a small green leaf and the stem. These flower-stalks are in pairs, exactly opposite each other on each side of the stem. Inside the flower there are a great many stamens. These stamens are grouped in bunches, and do not form a ring all round the centre as in many flowers. Seated among these bunches is a pear-shaped seed-vessel with three horns at the top. At the back of the flower, lying flat open, are five thin green sepals, whose tips you can see appearing, as you look down into the flower, between the yellow petals. The stalk is smooth and stiff, with two edges which look as if the sides had been joined together. The green leaves grow in pairs opposite each other. They taper to a point and have edges that are smooth all round. If you look closely you will see that each leaf is covered with tiny black dots. There is another St. John's Wort very like this, but its stalk is square, with four edges. 2. COMMON AVENS The Common Avens grows abundantly all summer in woods and on shady hedge-banks, but it is not very attractive. The flowers are small, with five separate yellow petals which lie flat open. As you look down into the flower, you can see the tips of the five green sepals appearing between the yellow petals. Each flower grows at the end of a short stalk, but two or three of these stalks often spring from the main stem at the same place. Half way up this stem you will find a pair of tiny green leaves with very small buds appearing between them and the stalk. These buds will come out later, when their stalks have time to lengthen.