A rather large family, widely distributed; herbs; leaves undivided;
flowers perfect, regular, parts usually in fives, corolla mostly with
united petals, stamens on the base or tube of the corolla, opposite its
lobes, sometimes with some extra, sterile filaments; ovary one-celled,
mostly superior, with one style and round-headed stigma; fruit a
capsule, with one or many seeds.
There are several kinds of Anagallis, not native in this country.
[Sidenote: =Scarlet Pimpernel
Poor-man's Weather-glass=
_Anagállis arvénsis_
=Red
Summer
West, etc.=]
A little weed, common in gardens and waste places, with smooth,
four-sided, stems, branching and half trailing on the ground, smooth,
toothless, bright green leaves and charming little flowers, a quarter
of an inch or more across, with a five-lobed calyx and wheel-shaped,
five-lobed corolla, usually bright orange-red and darker in the center,
rarely white; the stamens five, with hairy filaments; the capsule
smooth and roundish, containing many minute seeds. The flowers and
leaves are usually in pairs, the seed-vessels on the tips of slender
stems, curving around and toward each other, as if the plant were
stretching out its little hands, and opening its little blossoms only
in bright weather and closing them at night. The Greek name means
"amusing." The plant was used medicinally by the ancients.
There are three kinds of Trientalis, much alike, perennials, with
tuberous roots. The Latin name means "one third of a foot," the height
of these plants.
[Sidenote: =Star-flower=
_Trientàlis latifòlia_
=White, pink
Spring, summer
Northwest, Cal., Nev.=]
A little woodland plant, with a slender stem, from three to six inches
tall, bearing at the top a circle of from four to six, smooth, bright
green leaves and one or two, threadlike flower-stalks, each tipped
with a delicate flower. The corolla is about half an inch across,
wheel-shaped, with no tube and usually with six, white or pinkish
petals, sometimes deep pink, or flecked with lilac outside. The ovary
makes a purplish dot in the center, surrounded by curling, yellow
anthers, with threadlike filaments united at base. The capsule contains
a few, rather large, white seeds. We often find these dainty little
plants growing in companies, their starry blossoms glimmering in the
shade, prettily set off by their neat circle of leaves.
[Illustration: Star-flower--Trientalis latifolia.