Block · one region of the page, as the scanner read it. It may hold a whole story, part of one, several, or an advertisement; stitching blocks into articles is the next step. Text is supplied OCR.
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bible, Flora of West Virginia (P.D. Strausbaugh and Earl L. Core, Seneca Books, Inc., Grantsville, West Virginia.) Each plant in this book is illustrated with a handsome line drawing so I turned to the family, Figwort, and leafed through the pages alert for a depiction of the plant .which claimed my admiration and close attention. There it was on the first page, each leaf carefully drawn with the minute flowers between them! Cymbalaria muralis, Kenilworth Ivy.
The text told me that it is "...A casual weed of waste places and roadsides." Casual? Not for me. At the end of the description, I read "Adventive from Europe. Often cultivated on rock walls. It covers the, ruins of Kenilworth Castle."
Now my plant has a name, actually two names. As always I am curious about scientific names. Cymbalaria refers to the cymbal shape of the leaves. That fits. Muralis translates to "of walls." Note the connection: murals are wall paintings. The botanist naming this plant a hundred years or so ago did his work well.
Outside the handsome stone walls of Flint Hill I have never seen Cymbalaria muralis. I'll be interested to learn if readers know this ivy from other locations.
A final note: it does very well in pots and a healthy, vigorous plant bloomed right through the January blizzard in the bay windows in our kitchen.
John Trott welcomes reader comments at P.O. Box 515, Flint Hill, Va. 22627.
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