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Shepherd's Purse

Capsella Bursa-pastoris. Mustard Family.

Stem.--Low; branching. Root-leaves.--Clustered; incised or toothed. Stem-leaves.--Arrow-shaped; set close to the stem. Flowers.--White; clustered. Calyx.--Of four early-falling sepals. Corolla.--Of four petals. Stamens.--Six; two shorter than the others. Pistil.--One. Pod.--Triangular, heart-shaped. This is one of the commonest of our wayside weeds, working its way everywhere with such persistency and appropriating other people's property so shamelessly, that it has won for itself the nickname of pickpocket. Its popular title arose from the shape of its little seed-pods.