Wild flowers of the north-eastern states : $b Being three hundred and eight individuals common to the north-eastern United States — John Stuart Mill — John Shaqi
Wild flowers of the north-eastern states : $b Being three hundred and eight individuals common to the north-eastern United States
John Stuart Mill · en
*Snowberry.* _Symphoricarpos racemosus._
Found in blossom from June to September.
A shrub about 3 or 4 feet high, with a woody, branching stem, covered
with a smooth bark; that of the old growth gray-brown in color, of the
new growth, golden-brown.
The broadly oval leaf has an entire, somewhat wavy, margin, a smooth
surface, and dry texture. It is in color a dark grayish-green, lighter
beneath. The leaves grow in pairs, on short stems.
The small bell-shaped flower is 5-tipped, and filled within with white
woolly hairs; it is rose-colored, running into white. The corolla sits
on top of the little, round, green calyx, which develops into a large,
juicy, waxen white berry. The flowers and berries grow in a close
terminal spike, gradually weighed down by the enlarging berries.
Both berries and blossoms occur on the same spike. The Snowberry was
largely cultivated by our foremothers in their house yards, and is
still common about old houses.
[Illustration: SNOWBERRY: Symphoricarpos racemosus.]
MADDER FAMILY.
RUBIACEÆ.
*Innocence.* _Houstonia cærulea._
*Quaker Ladies.*
*Bluets.*
Found in grassy meadows, pastures, and waysides during May; generally
in poor soil.
The slender, little, pale green flower-stems, from 2 to 6 inches
in height, sometimes branch, bear but few leaves, and rise from a
foot-tuffet of leaves.
These foot-leaves are very small, with little rounded tips, while the
stem-leaves are still smaller, long, narrow, and clasping in pairs.
They are entire, thin, and light green.
The flower has a tiny 4-parted, green calyx, and a tubular corolla
which spreads at the top into a 4-pointed star; very delicate in
texture, and varying from pure white to a deep china blue, with a
dainty ring of yellow in the center.
A very communistic plant is the Innocence, growing in great patches
along pasture fences and in meadow rifts and hollows, powdering the
greening slopes of early May with its many blossoms like a belated
spring snow-fall. Its buds droop, but the opened flowers lift up their
faces to reflect the sky; its calices hug the corollas, and after they
have fallen still guard the enlarged oval seed-boxes. It is not unusual
to find 3- or 5-pointed stars, and even 6- or 7-pointed variations are
occasionally discoverable. Tufts of seedlings found in the late autumn
will flower all winter, if well-potted and watered and given plenty of
fresh air.
[Illustration: INNOCENCE: Houstonia cærulea.]
*Partridge-berry.* _Mitchella repens._
*Twin-berry.*
*Fox-berry.*
*Box-berry.*
*Two-eye-berry.*
Found in June, in dry woods, about the roots of pine trees.
This little running vine, 4 to 10 inches in length, is smooth and
slender, leafy and occasionally branching. In color, a pale green or
dark bronze-green.