12.
of four. This latter plant is more often found on wet
heaths, and scattered about the area were some other
plants indicating wetter conditions e.g. the common rush
(Juncus conglomeratus). Rushes can easily be distin-
guished from grasses by their round stems filled with
soft pith. Sedges always have triangular stems. The
marsh thistle (Cirsium palustre) was also present here
and there. This thistle, with its tall rather drawn
out appearance, was outnumbered by its relatives,
namely the creeping thistle (Cirsium arvense) and the
much spinier spear thistle (Cirsium vulgare). Another
plant of moist places was an occasional fleabane
(Pulicaria dysenterica) which is also a member of the
daisy family (Compositae) in which the "flowers" are
really groups of many tiny true flowers or florets in
a conspicuous inflorescence. Much more numerous was
another composite called ragwort (Senecio jacobaea)
which often provided nourishment for the caterpillars
of the cinnabar moth with their black and orange bands.
Some conspicuous plants in flower were the common
centaury (Centaurium erythraea) which is a pink member
of the gentian family (Gentianaceae) found here in the
dry areas; the common St. John's Wort (Hypericum
perforatum) which has yellow flowers, two raised lines
on its stem and translucent dots on its leaves which
you can see if you hold them up to the light; the
common milkwort (Polygala vulgaris) with its small blue
flowers more typical of heaths, as is the wood sage
(Teucrium scorodonia) with its unspectacular yellowish
green flowers. This is a member of a very easily
recognised family of plants with its square stems and
opposite leaves, namely the mint family (Labiatae).
The pea family provided the yellow-red flowers of
birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus) also known as
bacon and eggs, as well as the scrambling masses of
the hairy tare (Vicia hirsuta) with tendrils, tiny blue
flowers and hairy two-seeded pods.
Amongst several other plants one of the most interesting