DESCRIPTION: A slender, prostrate plant that heart-shaped basal leaves borne on long stalks. Leaves on the flowering stems are long and narrow with the upper ones unstalked.  The inflorescence bears loose clusters of blue, bell-shaped flowers made of 4, 6 or 7 pale blue to mid-violet petals. The petal lobes are triangular and curve outwards. Plants with pale pink or white flowers can occur. Each flower has one long central stigma which splits into three near the tip. The stems, when broken, ooze a harmless milky-white latex. DISTRIBUTION: Ubiquitous in Britain wherever appropriate occurs. HABITAT: A lover of dry, grassy areas including meadows, mountain tops, sand dunes, acid heaths, dry cliff tops. FLOWERING TIME: July to September. EXTRA NOTES: This plant is also called the Bluebell of Scotland.  It is also known as the "cuckoo's shoe", "witch bells" or "old man's bell" - the 'old man' being the devil himself.  If one dreams of Harebells then true love is symbolised.  In the Language of Flowers it stands for childhood, grief, humility, and submission.