Bellwort.Uvularia perfoliata.Wild Oat.Straw Bell.
Found in damp woods, during May.
The slender stalk forks at the top into 2 (or sometimes more) branches; it reaches the height of 10 or 15 inches, is hard and round, grooved a little, and shining. The color is a cool light green, tinted with purple-brown at the foot. Two or three sheath-like leaves enfold it near the foot.
The oblong leaf grows together about the stalk, with an appearance of being strung upon it; it is deeply creased upon the midrib, the margin is entire, and its texture is firm and thin, most pleasant to the touch. The color is a cool fine green, underneath pale with bloom. The leaves are alternate, and occur only upon the branches.
The flower is shaped like a slender deep bell, whose pointed tips slightly curve outwards but never spread wide apart; its 6 calyx-parts are petal-like, long and narrow, each grooved down the middle; the texture is thin and fine, and smooth on the outside, while the inner surface is rough as though spread with fine meal of a slightly richer hue than the pale straw-yellow bell with its faint tinge of green. The flower hangs singly on a short, slender, terminal green stem.
After the fall of the flower the stems prolong themselves with a further succession of leaves; thus the rather conspicuous seed-pod is left hanging near the middle of the branch.