See Hieracium's* various tribe, Of plumy seed and radiate flowers, Broad o'er its imbricated cup The Goat's-beardt spreads its golden rays, Pale as a pensive cloister'd nun The Bethlem-Star‡ her face unveils, Among the loose and arid sands The humble Arenaria § creeps; And those small bells so lightly ray'd But shut their plaits against the dew. On upland slopes the shepherds mark Lifts her soft eyes, serenely blue. * The Hawkweeds, Hieracium, are all of the solar tribe, and expand only in the morning. The Goat's-beard, Tragopogon pratense, expands its yellow disk about three in the morning, and closes before noon; hence it has received the popular name of Go-to-bed-at-noon. The star of Bethlehem, Ornithogalum umbellatum. § The Sandwort, Arenaria, opens about nine and shuts between two and three. The Corn Bindweed, Convolvolus arvensis, closes its flowers in the evening. The wild Succory or Endive, Cichorium Intybus, expands at eight o'clock, and closes at four. And thou, 'wee crimson tipped flower,'* When night-drops bathe the turfy ground. Unlike Silene,+ who declines The garish noontide's blazing light; Thus in each flower and simple bell, How fast the winged moments fly. MRS. C. SMITH. The Sleep of Plants has been frequently the subject of inquiry and admiration. Under the term vigilia plantarum, botanists comprehend the precise time of the day or night, in which the flowers of different plants open, expand, and shut. From a series of observations on them, Linnæus endeavoured to form a botanical time-piece: he has enumerated forty-six flowers which possess this kind of sensibility. Phil, Bot. p. 272, § 335. In general it has been found that they close with the departing beams of the Sun, and open to greet his morning rays. The flower enamour'd of the Sun, At his departure hangs her head and weeps, Till his reviving ray appears, Waking her beauty, as he dries her tears. The attentive observer cannot but perceive, "that every plant and every flower on earth, appears and expands in its appointed order. The God of the Seasons has exactly determined the time when this flower shall unfold its leaves, that spread its glowing beauties to the sun, and a third hang down its drooping head, and withered, resign its sunny robes." *The Daisy, Bellis perennis, is open only on bright days. The night flowering Catchfly, Silene noctiflora, expands its flowers only in the evening. THE BLACK-THORN. THE April air is shrewd and keen ; Yet thy white blossom's radiant sheen, Though all beside be dead and drear, Thou com'st the herald of a host Sad are the thoughts inspir'd by thee. All other trees are wont to wear, First, leaves-then, flowers-and last, Their burden of rich fruit to bear When Summer's pride is past: But thou, so prompt thy flowers to show, Bear'st but the harsh, unwelcome sloe. So, oft young genius at its birth, In confidence untried, Spreads its bright blossoms o'er the earth, And revels in its pride; But when we look its fruit to see, It stands a fair, but barren tree. So oft, in stern and barbarous lands, Ere the uncultur'd soul expands In the poetic Spring; Then, sad and bootless are his pains, And link'd with woe his name remains. Therefore, thou tree whose early bough Thou stirrest in my memory now Full many a tearful tale : And early, fair, rejoicing tree, Sad are the thoughts inspir'd by thee. W. HOWITT. The Black-Thorn or Sloe, Prunus spinosa, presents its pure white flowers before its leaves appear. It has been alledged that the leaves of this shrub are used in the adulteration of tea, and that its berries form one of the ingredients of the wine that is miscalled Port. TO A GLOW-WORM. LITTLE being of a day, Glowing in thy cell alone, Shedding light, with mystic ray, See! the fire-fly in his flight Why within thy cavern damp, Thus with trembling dost thou cower? No!-regain thy couch of clay, Time's Telescope, 1830. THE HARE. 'Tis instinct that directs the jealous Hare Their moving camp; now, on some cooler hill, Should mark their haunts, and by dark treacherous wiles Of plenteous forage, near the ranker mead Or matted grass, wary and close they sit. When Spring shines forth, season of love and joy, SOMERVILLE. |