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The field botanist's companion
by Thomas Moore
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Excerpt:
* Oalanthus nivalis- Plate 6 B.
bulbous stem or base to the leaves and flower-stalks: this is frequent among Monocotyledons, but not characteristic. Then the leaves are ribbed with veins all running side by side lengthwise, a peculiar feature by which the group may in all ordinary cases be recognized. Next the flowers consist of six divisions, which is a nearly certain mark of a Monocotyledon. There is no separate calyx and corolla in the Snowdrop as in the Primrose, but the two will be found blended together, all the parts having become corolla-like. When thus combined, the calyx and corolla form what is called a perianth; three of the segments, which will be found to be exterior, represent the calyx, and are hence called sepaline divisions, and three are interior, representing the petals, and are hence called petalinc divisions. These features—the straight-veined leaves, and the parts of the flowers arranged in threes or multiples of three— are generally distinctive of the large and important class of Monocotyledons, also called Endogens, from the internal manner of accretion in their stems.
The Crocus,* too, is one of Spring's earliest harbingers, starting up almost as if by magic from the scarce-thawed earth, and making it resplendent with the richest colours almost before the snow has vanished from the surface. The Spring Crocuses, though blooming at so early a period, present little other difference compared with those kinds which bloom in autumn. This favourite flower is a well-known representative in gardens of the Iridaceous family, and is so far naturalized in meadows and pastures in some parts of England, as to claim admission amongst our field plants, though perhaps not a true aborigine. It has a kind of solid bulb called a corm, and produces grassy leaves. Its large funnel- or vase-shaped six-lobed flowers, expanding in the sunshine, purple in those
• Croaia remut -Plate G A.
which occur in the wild state, differ from those of the Snowdrop in being erect instead of pendent, but like the latter plant, the Crocus belongs to the great family of Monocotyledons, and to that series in which there are six coloured leaves to the perianth or flower, these being combined at the base into a long slender tube; above they are scarcely distinguishable into an outer and an inner series, each consisting of three leaves, representing the sepals and petals which were found to exist in the Primrose, where however they occur in a state of cohesion, the parts it will be recollected being united into a tubular calyx and a monopetalous corolla.
The Crocus flowers have three stamens, and a stigma which is dilated and fringed at the top. The long slender tube of the perianth, which is in fact the stalk-like portion that at length becomes visible, is a good deal hidden by the leaves and sheathing membranes which emerge with it from the ground; and the ovary, or young seed-vessel, is buried amongst the bases of the leaves.
And now having briefly adverted to these earliest of the early of Flora's offerings, which besides have afforded illustrationsof the groups of Monopetalous and Monocotyledonous plants, we will proceed to glance in something like order at a few other examples representative of the Vernal Flora, which have been selected as the subjects of our illustrations. We commence with the Dicotyledons, called also Exogens, from the external manner of accretion in their stem, a large group, known generally by their net-veined leaves, and sharing with the Monocotyledons and Cryptogams the whole Vegetable Kingdom.
At a very early period of the year, in moist woods and pastures, the surface of the ground will be found whitened with a multitude of small starry blossoms of a small Ranunculaccous plant. These are the blossoms of the Wood Anemone,* a dwarf herb, which has fleshy underground stems, from which spring up three-parted leaves and white cup-like flowers, below which latter an involucre or guard of three leafy parts resembling the true leaves is placed.
