THE PRIMROSE FAMILY, 179 



PrinmlaceaB. 



The Primrose Family. 



This order has 250 species of 21 genera in 5 tribes ; 

 but there is no representative of the genus Prim'ula, 

 the Primrose, in South Africa, where there are only 3 

 genera. 



Anagal'lis. — Pimpernel, or the poor man's weather- 

 glass, so called because it only opens its flowers in 

 bright sunshine. 



It is an annual with opposite leaves and scarlet 

 or blue-purple flowers. It has been introduced from 

 Europe, but there are two or three native species as 

 well in the Eastern district. 



The calyx is almost polysepalous ; the corolla is 

 gamopetalous, with the five stamens adherent to it, but 

 situated in front of the five lobes, instead of beino* 

 alternate with them. 



This is explained by the suppression of an outer 

 whorl of five stamens. In Sam'olus, of which one 

 species with small white flowers is common on muddy 

 seashores, there are five staminodes hetween the lobes 

 of the corolla, being rudiments indicating a lost whorl 

 of stamens. 



The fruit of Anagal'lis is a capsule which bursts by 

 a circumscissile dehiscence, i.e. by splitting horizontally, 

 the top falling off like a lid. The seeds all stand on a 



