| A FLOWER DIAL. |
|---|
| |
| TIME OF OPENING. | |
|---|
| | [109] | h. | m. |
|---|
| YELLOW GOAT'S BEARD | T.P. | 3 | 5 |
| LATE FLOWERING DANDELION | Leon.S. | 4 | 0 |
| BRISTLY HELMINTHIA | H.B. | 4 | 5 |
| ALPINE BORKHAUSIA | B.A. | 4 | 5 |
| WILD SUCCORY | C.I. | 4 | 5 |
| NAKED STALKED POPPY | P.N. | 5 | 0 |
| COPPER COLOURED DAY LILY | H.F. | 5 | 0 |
| SMOOTH SOW THISTLE | S.L. | 5 | 0 |
| ALPINE AGATHYRSUS | Ag.A. | 5 | 0 |
| SMALL BIND WEED | Con.A. | 5 | 6 |
| COMMON NIPPLE WORT | L.C. | 5 | 6 |
| COMMON DANDELION | L.T. | 5 | 6 |
| SPORTED ACHYROPHORUS | A.M. | 6 | 7 |
| WHITE WATER LILY | N.A. | 7 | 0 |
| GARDEN LETTUCE | Lec.S. | 7 | 0 |
| AFRICAN MARIGOLD | T.E. | 7 | 0 |
| COMMON PIMPERNEL | A.A. | 7 | 8 |
| MOUSE-EAR HAWKWEED | H.P. | 8 | 0 |
| PROLIFEROUS PINK | D.P. | 8 | 0 |
| FIELD MARIGOLD | Cal.A. | 9 | 0 |
| PURPLE SANDWORT | A.P. | 9 | 10 |
| SMALL PURSLANE | P.O. | 9 | 10 |
| CREEPING MALLOW | M.C. | 9 | 10 |
| CHICKWEED | S.M. | 9 | 10 |
| |
| TIME OF CLOSING. | |
|---|
| | | h. | m. |
|---|
| HELMINTHIA ECHIOIDES | B.H. | 12 | 0 |
| AGATHYRSUS ALPINUS | A.B. | 12 | 0 |
| BORKHAUSIA ALPINA | A.B. | 12 | 0 |
| LEONTODON SEROTINUS | L.D. | 12 | 0 |
| MALVA CAROLINIANA | C.M. | 12 | 1 |
| DAINTHUS PROLIFER | P.P. | 1 | 0 |
| HIERACIUM PILOSELLA | M.H. | 0 | 2 |
| ANAGALLIS ARVENSIS | S.P. | 2 | 3 |
| ARENARIA PURPUREA | P.S. | 2 | 4 |
| CALENDULA ARVENSIS | F.M. | 3 | 0 |
| TACETES ERECTA | A.M. | 3 | 3 |
| CONVOLVULUS ARVENSIS | S.B. | 4 | 0 |
| ACHYROPHORUS MACULATUS | S.A. | 4 | 5 |
| NYMPHAEA ALBA | W.W.B. | 5 | 0 |
| PAPAVER NUDICAULE | N.P. | 7 | 0 |
| HEMEROCALLIS FULVA | C.D.L. | 7 | 0 |
| CICHORIUM INTYBUS | W.S. | 8 | 9 |
| TRAGOPOGON PRATENSIS | Y.G.B. | 9 | 10 |
| STELLARIA MEDIA | C. | 9 | 10 |
| LAPSANA COMMUNIS | C.N. | 10 | 0 |
| LACTUCA SATIVA | G.L. | 10 | 0 |
| SONCHUS LAEVIS | S.T. | 11 | 10 |
| PORTULACA OLERACEA | S.P. | 11 | 12 |
Of course it will be necessary to adjust the Horologium Florae (or
Flower clock) to the nature of the climate. Flowers expand at a later
hour in a cold climate than in a warm one. "A flower," says Loudon,
"that opens at six o'clock in the morning at Senegal, will not open in
France or England till eight or nine, nor in Sweden till ten. A flower
that opens at ten o'clock at Senegal will not open in France or England
till noon or later, and in Sweden it will not open at all. And a flower
that does not open till noon or later at Senegal will not open at all in
France or England. This seems as if heat or its absence were also (as
well as light) an agent in the opening and shutting of flowers; though
the opening of such as blow only in the night cannot be attributed to
either light or heat."
The seasons may be marked in a similar manner by their floral
representatives. Mary Howitt quotes as a motto to her poem on Holy
Flowers the following example of religious devotion timed by flowers:--
"Mindful of the pious festivals which our church prescribes," (says a
Franciscan Friar) "I have sought to make these charming objects of
floral nature, the time-pieces of my religious calendar, and the
mementos of the hastening period of my mortality. Thus I can light the
taper to our Virgin Mother on the blowing of the white snow-drop which
opens its floweret at the time of Candlemas; the lady's smock and the
daffodil, remind me of the Annunciation; the blue harebell, of the
Festival of St George; the ranunculus, of the Invention of the Cross;
the scarlet lychnis, of St. John the Baptist's day; the white lily, of
the Visitation of our Lady, and the Virgin's bower, of her Assumption;
and Michaelmas, Martinmas, Holyrood, and Christmas, have all their
appropriate monitors. I learn the time of day from the shutting of the
blossoms of the Star of Jerusalem and the Dandelion, and the hour of the
night by the stars."
Some flowers afford a certain means of determining the state of the
atmosphere. If I understand Mr. Tyas rightly he attributes the following
remarks to Hartley Coleridge.--
"Many species of flowers are admirable barometers. Most of the bulbous-
rooted flowers contract, or close their petals entirely on the approach
of rain. The African marigold indicates rain, if the corolla is closed
after seven or eight in the morning. The common bind-weed closes its
flowers on the approach of rain; but the anagallis arvensis, or scarlet
pimpernel, is the most sure in its indications as the petals constantly
close on the least humidity of the atmosphere. Barley is also singularly
affected by the moisture or dryness of the air. The awns are furnished
with stiff points, all turning towards one end, which extend when moist,
and shorten when dry. The points, too, prevent their receding, so that
they are drawn up or forward; as moisture is returned, they advance and
so on; indeed they may be actually seen to travel forwards. The capsules
of the geranium furnish admirable barometers. Fasten the beard, when
fully ripe, upon a stand, and it will twist itself, or untwist,
according as the air is moist or dry. The flowers of the chick-weed,
convolvulus, and oxalis, or wood sorrel, close their petals on the
approach of rain."
The famous German writer, Jean Paul Richter, describes what he calls a
Human Clock.
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