286 GENIOSTEMON 



Geniostemon Engelm. et Gray. Gentianaceae (i). 2 Mexico. 



Geniostoma Forst. Loganiaceae. 25 Madag. to N.Z. 



Genip tree (W.I.), Melicocca, &c. 



Genipa (Tourn.) L. Rubiaceae (i. 8). 2 warm Am., W.I. 



Genista L. Leguminosae (in. 3). 90 Eur., N. Afr., W. As.; 3 in 

 Brit. G. anglica L. (needle-gorse or petty whin) has large thorns 

 (branches). The fl has an explosive mechanism, typical of many of 

 the fam. (q.v. ). In G. tinctoria L., the dyer's greenweed (M tiller's 

 Fert. of Fls. p. 189), there is no honey; the style and tube of sta. are 

 enclosed in the keel, which is united along the top seam as well as 

 the bottom. The sta. shed their pollen almost in the apex of the 

 keel, but not so near it as to pollinate the stigma. When the fl. 

 opens there is a tension of the sta.-tube on the lower side tending to 

 bend it upwards ; this is resisted by an opposite one in the keel and 

 wings, but if an insect alight on the wings and press them down, the 

 upper seam of the keel gives way and 'an explosion follows. In it the 

 style flies out, striking the under side of the insect, thus probably 

 becoming cross-pollinated, and is followed by a shower of pollen 

 which gives the insect a fresh coating to take to another fl. 



A yellow dye is obtained from the fls. of this sp. , which when 

 mixed with woad gives a fine green (Kendal green). 



Genlisea A. St Hil. Lentibulariaceae. 12 trop. Am. and Afr. 



Gentian, Gentiana. 



Gentiana Tourn. ex L. Gentianaceae (i). 350 cosmop. exc. Afr., 

 chiefly alpine ; 5 (gentian) in Brit. Most are alpine pi. of tufted 

 growth. Fls. of interest (see Nat. Pfl., Muller'sfert. of Fls., Alpen- 

 blumen, &c. ). The genus shows an ascending series of fls., adapted 

 to higher and higher types of insects. G. lutea L. is a primitive 

 type, with freely exposed honey, yellow homogamous fl. and short- 

 tongued visitors. G. purpurea L. , G. Pneiinwnanthe L. (Brit.), &c. 

 are blue long-tubed humble-bee fls. G. verna L. (Brit.), G. Amarella 

 L. (Brit.) and G. cainpestris L. (Brit.) are long-tubed butterfly fls., 

 sometimes protandr. 



The gentians form one of the most striking features of the flora 

 of the Alps, occurring in large masses and with very conspicuous fls. ; 

 G. acaulis L. is the most beautiful. In the Brit. Alts, they are rare. 

 The root of G. lutea furnishes a tonic. 



Gentianaceae (EP., Bff.). Dicotyledons (Sympet. Contortae; Gen- 

 tianales BH.). 80 gen., 800 sp. in every part of the globe and in 

 great variety of situations arctic and alpine pi., halophytes, sapro- 

 phytes (Voyria, c. ), marsh pi. (Menyanthes, &c.), water pi. (Lim- 

 nanthemum), &c. They are mostly herbaceous (often perennial) ; a 

 few shrubs. The perennial herbs have usu. a rhizome. L. opp., 

 exstip., usu. entire. The infl. is usu. a dichasial cyme like Caryo- 

 phyllaceae; as in that fam., the lat. branches often become mono- 

 chasial. Other cyniose infls. also occur. Bracts and bracteoles 

 present or not. Fls. reg., $, 4 g-merous (rarely more). K usu. (5), 

 imbr. ; C (;), bell- or funnel-shaped, or sometimes salver-shaped, 

 conv. (exc. Bartonia, Obolaria, &c., and II); A as many as petals, 

 alt. with them, epipet. ; anthers various, usu. introrse ; G with a 

 glandular disc at base, (i), placed in the antero-posterior plane. 



