224 



harbingers of spring, and also for the sake of their fragrance. Their sensible 

 properties are feeble. The Cowslip is slightly narcotic, and the root of Cycla- 

 men is famous for its acridity ; yet this is the principal food of the wild boars of 

 Sicily, whence its common name of Sowbread. 

 Examples. Primula, Dodecatheon, Androsace. 



CCVIII. LENTIBULARIiE. 



Lentibularije, Richard in Flor. Paris, p. 26. (1808). — Utriculinje, Hqffmannsegg et Link 

 Fl. Port. (1806).— Lentibulari^, R. Brown Prodr. 429. (1810) ; Lindl. Synops. 186. 

 (1829); Link. Hand. 1. 511. a sect, of Personals. 



Diagnosis. Monopetalous dicotyledons, with irregular flowers, and a supe- 

 rior 1 -celled ovarium, with a central free placenta. 

 Anomalies. Seed undivided in Utricularia. 



Essential Character. — Calyx divided, persistent, inferior. Corolla monopetalous, hy- 

 pogynous, irregular, bilabiate, with a spur. Stamens 2, included within the corolla, and in- 

 serted into its base ; anthers simple, sometimes contracted in the middle. Ovarium 1-celled ; 

 style 1, very short; stigma bilabiate. Capsule 1-celled, many-seeded, with a large central pla- 

 centa. Seeds minute, without albumen; embryo sometimes undivided.— Herbaceous plants, 

 living in water or marshes. Leaves radical, undivided ; or compound, resembling roots, and 

 bearing little vesicles. Scapes either with minute stipula-like scales, or naked ; sometimes 

 with wnorled vesicles ; generally undivided. Flowers single, or in spikes, or in many-flowered 

 racemes ; with a single bractea, rarely without bracteae. R. Br. 



Affinities. The central free placenta and minute exalbuminous embryo 

 are the principal points of distinction between these and Scrophularineae, to 

 which their habit nearly approximates them. They are known from Primu- 

 lacese by their irregular flowers, exalbuminous embryo, and stamens. 



Geography. Natives of marshes, or rivulets, or fountains, in all parts of 

 the world, especially within the tropics. 



Properties. Unknown. 



Examples. Pinguicula, Utricularia. 



CC1X. GESNEREiE. 



Gesnerie*, Rich, ct Juss. Ann. Mus. 5. 428. (1804); Kunth in Humb. N. G. et Sp. 2. 39?. 

 (1817); Lindlcy in Bot. Reg. 1110. (1827).— GesneriacejE, Link Handb. 1. 504. (1829) 

 a sect, of Personata;.— GesnerejE, Von Martius Nov. Gen. Bras. 3. 68. (1829.) 



Diagnosis. Monopetalous dicotyledons, with a half inferior ovarium, 

 parietal projecting placentae, a capitate stigma, irregular flowers, and an em- 

 bryo in the axis of fleshy albumen. 



Anomalies. Sarmienta is diandrous. 



Essential Character. — Calyx half superior, 5-parted, with a valvatc aestivation. Corolla 

 monopetalous, tubular, more or less irregular, 5-lobcd, with an imbricate aestivation. Sta- 

 mens didynamous ; anthers cohering, 2-celled, innate, with a thick tumid conneetivum ; the 

 rudiment of a fifth stamen is present. Ovarium half superior, 1-celled, with 2 fleshy 2-lobed 

 parietal polyspermous placentae ; surrounded at its base by glands alternating with the sta- 



