PRIMULA CEA E. 713 



entire, 4-8 mm. long; flowers 4-6 mm. broad; corolla-lobes cuneate-obovate, 

 obtuse, retuse or eroded; capsule about 2 mm. high, globose, surrounded by the 

 upper leaves. In dry sandy pine-barrens, N. J. and N. Car. March-May. 



3. GALAX L. 



An acaulescent perennial herb, with orbicular cordate crenate-dentate long- 

 petioled basal leaves, and numerous small white flowers, spicate-racemose at the 

 ends of tall slender scapes. Calyx 2-bracteolate at the base, 5-parted, the sepals 

 nerveless. Corolla 5 divided, the petals oblong, entire, adnate to the bases of the 

 monadelphous stamens. Stamen-tube lo-lobed at the summit, the lobes which are 

 opposite the petals petaloid (staminodia), those alternate with the petals antherif- 

 erous; anthers nearly sessile, granular on the back, i-celled, transversely 2-valved. 

 Style very short. Seeds ovoid, the testa loose. [Greek, milk; name not charac- 

 teristic of this genus.] A monotypic genus. 



i. Galax aphylla L. GALAX. GALAXY. BEETLE-WEED. (I. F. f. 2804.) 

 Scape 3-5 dm. high, terete, with red scales at the base and many red fibrous roots. 

 Leaves with a rather narrow sinus, persistent, shining, commonly shorter than their 

 slender petioles, 2-8 cm. in diameter; spike-like raceme dense, narrow, 5-13 cm. 

 long; flowers 3-4 mm. broad, spreading; capsule ovoid, acute, erect, short-pedi- 

 celled, 2 mm. long, slightly exceeding the lanceolate acutish sepals. In dry 

 woods, Va. to Ga. May-July. 



Order 2. PRIMULALES. 



Our species herbs. Corolla usually present, gamopetalous. Calyx 

 mostly free from the ovary. Stamens borne on the corolla, as many as 

 its lobes, or twice as many, or more. 



Style i; fruit a capsule. Fam. i. Primulaceae. 



Styles 5; fruit an achene or utricle. Fam. 2. Plumbaginaceae. 



Family i. PRIMULACEAE Vent. 

 Primrose 



Herbs, with perfect regular flowers. Calyx free from the ovary 

 (adnate to its lower part in Samolus), usually 5-parted, persistent or rarely 

 deciduous. Corolla gamopetalous in our species (wanting in Glaux), 

 usually 5-cleft, deciduous. Stamens as many as the corolla-lobes and 

 opposite them, hypogynous or rarely perigynous, inserted on the corolla; 

 filaments distinct, or connate at the base ; anthers introrse, 2-celled, the 

 sacs longitudinally dehiscent. Disk obsolete, or none. Ovary superior 

 (partly inferior in Samolus), i-celled ; placenta central, free; ovules 

 anatropous, or amphitropous ; style i ; stigma simple, capitate, entire. 

 Capsule i-celled, 2-6-valved; rarely circumscissile or in dehiscent. Seeds 

 few or several, the testa adherent to the fleshy or horny copious endo- 

 sperm ; embryo small, straight; cotyledons obtuse. About 28 genera 

 and 350 species of wide distribution. 



* Lobes or segments of the corolla erect or spreading, not reflexed. 

 Lobes of the corolla imbricated, at least in the bud. 

 Ovary wholly superior. 



Terrestrial scapose plants ; leaves not pinnatifid. 



Corolla-tube longer than the calyx ; style slender. I. Primula. 



Corolla-tube shorter than the calyx ; style short. 2. Androsace. 



Aquatic leafy -stemmed plant ; leaves finely pinnatifid. 3. Hottonia. 



Ovary adnate to the calyx ; mars v herbs. 4. Samolus. 



Lobes of the corolla convolute or vaivate, at least in the bud (corolla wanting in No. 9). 

 Capsule longitudinally dehiscent. 



Corolla rotate, or rarely short-funnelform. 

 Stem leafy throughout ; flowers yellow. 



Staminodia none; corolla-lobes convolute. 5. Lysimachia, 



