The Botanic Garden. Part II. - Containing the Loves of the Plants. a Poem. - With Philosophical Notes. by Erasmus Darwin
page 34 of 216 (15%)
page 34 of 216 (15%)
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leaves spring up, and in April the seed-vessel rises from the ground; the
seeds ripen in May, contrary to the usual habits of vegetables, which slower in the spring, and ripen their seeds in the autumn. Miller's Dict. The juice of the root of this plant is so acrid as to produce violent effects on the human constitution, which also prevents it from being eaten by subterranean insects, and thus guards the seed-vessel during the winter. The defoliation of deciduous trees is announced by the flowering of the Colchicum; of these the ash is the last that puts forth its leaves, and the first that loses them. Phil. Bot. p. 275. The Hamamelis, Witch Hazle, is another plant which flowers in autumn; when the leaves fall off, the flowers come out in clusters from the joints of the branches, and in Virginia ripen their seed in the ensuing spring; but in this country their seeds seldom ripen. Lin. Spec. Plant. Miller's Dict.] GREAT HELIANTHUS guides o'er twilight plains In gay solemnity his Dervise-trains; 225 Marshall'd in _fives_ each gaudy band proceeds, Each gaudy band a plumed Lady leads; With zealous step he climbs the upland lawn, And bows in homage to the rising dawn; Imbibes with eagle-eye the golden ray, 230 And watches, as it moves, the orb of day. [_Helianthus_. l. 223. Sun flower. The numerous florets, which constitute the disk of this flower, contain in each five males surrounding one female, the five stamens have their anthers connected |
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