172 



from two to four inches high. Root of several long fibres. Stems erect, appa- 

 rently tufted. The flowers are equal in size and beauty to those of M. palustris, 

 but the pedicels are recurved and rather shorter than the calyx which is nearly 

 half five-cleft and its segments narrower and deeper than those of M. palustris. 



4. M. alpestris, Schmidt, (Rock Scorpion Grass.) Calyx with straight 

 bristles, the lowermost incurved, deeply five-cleft, when in fruit campanulate, 

 straight, shorter than the slightly spreading pedicels. Limb of the corolla flat, 

 longer than the tube. Root-leaves on long stalks. Racemes leafless. 



M. alpestris, Hook. Scot., p. 66. ; Smith, Engl. FL, v. 1., p. 252. ; Borr. in 

 Hook., Br. FL, p. 102. M. rupicola, Engl. Bot., t. 2559. 



Highlands of Scotland, on the Breadalbane range. Perennial ; flowers in July 

 and August. Root fibrous. Stems from four to six inches high, leafy, clothed 

 with spreading hairs. Flowers large, of a brilliant blue, as beautiful as those of 

 M. palustris. 



5. M. sylvatica, Hoflm., ( Wood Scorpion Grass J. Calyx with spreading 

 hooked bristles, deeply five-cleft, when in fruit ovate with closely converging teeth, 

 shorter than the divergent pedicels. Limb of the corolla flat, longer than the 

 tube. Root-leaves on short dilated stalks. Racemes leafless. 



M. sylvatica, Hook. Scot., p. 66. Borr. in Hook. Br. FL, ed. 3, p. 103. 

 M. intermedia, Smith, Engl. FL, v. 1, p. 250, (excl. syn.) M. scorpioides, y, 

 Huds., p. 78. M. scorpioides latifolia hirsuta, Dill, in Raii Syn., p. 229. 

 t. 9., f. 2. 



Dry shady places ; Essex and Kent, Dillenius ; Norfolk, Rev.R. B. Francis; 

 woods ; North of England ; and Lowlands of Scotland, Sir W. J. Hooker. Pe- 

 rennial ; flowers in June and July. Herb of a dull green and covered with lax 

 hairs. Leaves oblong, broader than those of M. arvensis. Flowers nearly as 

 large as those of M. palustris. Mr. Borrer observes, various authors and culti- 

 vators pronounce this plant perennial, (Fries says " perennans," Wahlenberg " sub- 

 perennans,") whilst the following species (M. arvensis, Hoffm.) is indubitably 

 annual, between which and the present individual I can point out no other dis- 

 tinctive characters more satisfactory than the somewhat more deeply divided calyx 

 of M. sylvatica, its shorter and less remarkably hooked bristles, the broader 

 and flatter corolla, and the greater size of the whole plant." (Hooker's British 

 Flora, ed. 3., p. 103.) Sir J. Smith, in the English Flora, has strangely con- 

 founded the synonyms of these two plants and certainly misapplied that of Dille- 

 nius to his M. sylvatica, which is M. arvensis of the British Flora, but there is 

 no ambiguity either in the description of his M. intermedia or in the character 

 which he assigns to it. They have obviously been drawn up from this plant, M. 

 sylvatica, and there can be no hesitation, therefore, in referring M. intermedia of 

 the English Flora here. I am inclined to think that this species is by no means 

 common. 



