CHICKWEED WINTERGREEN.
_Trientalis Americana._
THIS pretty starry-flowered little plant is remarkable for the
occurrence of the number seven in its several parts, and was for some
time regarded by botanists of the old school as the representative of
the Class Heptandria.
The calyx is seven parted; the divisions of the delicate white corolla
also seven; and the stamens seven. The leaves form a whorl at the upper
part of the stem, mostly from five to seven, or eight; the leaves are
narrow, tapering at both ends, of a delicate light-green, thin in
texture, and of a pleasant sub-acid flavour. The star-shaped flowers,
few in number, on thread-like stalks, rise from the centre of the whorl
of leaves, which thus form an involucre to the pretty delicate starry
flowers. This little plant is frequently found at the roots of
beech-trees; it is fond of shade, and in light vegetable mould forms
considerable beds; the roots are white, slender, and fibrous; it is one
of our early May flowers, though, unless the month be warm and genial,
will delay its opening somewhat later. In old times, when the herbalists
gave all kinds of fanciful names to the wild plants, they would have
bestowed such a name as “HERBE INNOCENCE” upon our modest little forest
flower.
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[Illustration: _PLATE IV._]
4 VERONICA AMERICANA
(American Brooklime)
3 RUBUS ODORATUS
(Purple flowering Raspberry)
2 MONESES UNIFLORA
(One flowered Pyrola)
1 PYROLA ELLIPTICA
(Shin Leaf)
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