238 CALLITRICHINE^. [Callitriche. 



sometimes larger, equal and petaloid. Stamens 2 — 4, alter- 

 nating with the inner segments of the perianth : filaments long ; 

 anthers 2-celled, roundish, the cells bursting along their margin. 

 Ovary free, situated on a small fleshy disk : cells variable. 

 Ovules solitary, ascending. Style 1 : stigma multifid, subpel- 

 tate. Fruit fleshy, surrounded by the persistent perianth, 3 — 9- 

 celled, the coating of the cells bony. Seeds solitary, ascending : 

 testa membranaceous. Embryo cylindrical, in the axis of a 

 fleshy or somewhat horny albumen : radicle inferior : cotyle- 

 dons much shorter than the radicle. — Small heath-like shrubs, 

 of Europe and N. America, and the Straits of Magellan. Leaves 

 evergreen, alternate or verticillate, without stipides. Flowers 

 small, axillary. 



Empetrum. Linn. Crow-berry. 



Barren fi. Perianth, many imbricated scales, of which the 

 three inner are often regular, spreading and petaloid. Stamens 

 three, with long filaments. Rudiment of a pistil with a 

 many-cleft stigma. Feitile fi. Perianth, as in the barren. 

 Germen globose. Style short. Stigma dilated, peltate, 

 rayed. Berry superior, globose, with 6 — 9 seeds. — Name ; 

 ev, in, and ire-tpo?, a stone ; growing in stony places. 



Biozcia. Triandria. 



1. E. nigrum, Linn. Black Crow-berry or Crake-berry. 

 Procumbent; leaves linear-oblong. Br. FI. 1. p. 434. E. FI. 

 v. iv. p. 234. E. Bot. t. 526. 



Mountainous heaths, abundant. FI. May. F? . — A small, procum- 

 bent, much branched shrub, whose leaves are much recurved. Flowers 

 axillary towards the summit of the branches, small, purplish. Berries 

 black, clustered, affording abundant food to the moor-game when ripe. 



Ohd. 67. CALLITRICHINEiE. Link. Water Starwort 

 Family. 



Flowers usually bisexual, monoecious, naked, with two fistular 

 coloured bracteae. Stamen single; filament filiform, furrowed 

 along the middle; anther reniform, 1-celled, 2-valved; the 

 valves opening fore and aft. Ovarium solitary, 4-cornered, 

 4-celled ; ovules solitary, peltate; styles two, right and left, 

 subulate; stigmas simple points. Fruit 4-celled, 4-seeded, in- 

 dehiscent. Seeds peltate ; embryo inverted in the axis of 

 fleshy albumen ; radicle very long, curved, superior ; cotyledons 

 very short. — Small aquatic herbaceous plants, with opposite, 

 simple, entire leaves. Flowers axillary, solitary, very minute. 



1. Callitriche. Linn. Water Starwort. 

 Barren ft. Perianth single, of two leaves (they are, rather, 



