What is the purpose of beginning the text with an anecdote then moving to
the scientific and historical information?

Anecdotes help attract or hook the reader. The job of an anecdote is to interest the reader into looking further into your article.

covert: hidden or secret

candid: truthful and straightforward

what i get from these phrases is covert means undercover or underground and that's where the flower is in april. on the other hand, may is the month where flowers start to bloom and thats the reason why candid is being used as a word to describe the blossoming period of a flower.

hope this answer you.

the right ones are in bold.

daintly refers to the fact she was reaching for what she ate, not necessarily what she is like.

greatest charm as in she possessed (=had) the greatest charm.

pleasant (her demeanor)

speaking (of her sensibility)

dead refers to the hypothetical mouse.

bleeding refers to the hypothetical mouse.