<h2 id="c20">TURTLE-HEAD OR SNAKE-HEAD. <br/><span class="small">(<i>Chelone glabra.</i>)</span></h2>
<p>The Turtle-head or Snake-head is one
of three species that are natives of eastern
North America. This plant is well
supplied with common names, as it is
also called Shell-flower, Cod-head, Bitter-herb
and Balmony. The generic name of
this flower of the swamps and moist
banks of streams is from the Greek word
which means tortoise, the name having
been given to the plant because of the
fancied resemblance between the flowers
and the head of a turtle or snake. One
may be able, by stretching his imagination,
to see this resemblance in the flowers
of our illustration.</p>
<div class="fig"> id="fig7"> <ANTIMG src="images/i11206.jpg" alt="" width-obs="684" height-obs="500" /> <p class="caption">SOAPWORT OR BOUNCING BET. <br/>(Saponaria officinalis.) <br/>SNAKE-HEAD OR TURTLE-HEAD
<br/>(Chelone glabra.)
<br/><span class="small">FROM “NATURE’S GARDEN”</span>
<br/><span class="small">COPYRIGHT 1900, BY</span>
<br/><span class="small">DOUBLEDAY PAGE & COMPANY</span></p>
</div>
<div class="pagenum" id="Page_89">89</div>
<p>The custom of giving names to plants
that are suggestive of their real or fancied
resemblance to various objects of
nature, or are indicative of their beneficial
or injurious qualities, is as old as
history itself. In this way a large number
of plants have become associated
with good or evil spirits, Christian or
pagan saints or martyrs, animate nature
or some of the phenomena of nature. To
the Indian the likeness of the flower of
the Turtle-head to the head of a reptile
not only gave it its name, but at the
same time invested the plant with certain
sacred associations by reason of the
fact that not only among the Indians of
North America, but among the uncivilized
peoples in all parts of the world
the tortoise has been considered sacred
and highly symbolical.</p>
<p>Though commonly found in low altitudes,
it is found in moist places in the
Adirondacks, even at a height of three
thousand feet.</p>
<p>This plant is not rare, and with its upright
stem and its rather large and clustered
white or slightly rose-colored flowers
it is a dignified and beautiful feature
of any floral community.</p>
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