GAMOPETALiE 105 



and the throat is naked, fringed or scaly. There are 

 four to eight stamens, or the same number as the 

 petals, which are epipetalous, alternating with the 

 petals, or corolla-segments. The anther-stalks are 

 slender. The anthers open inwards or outwards when 

 the flower is in bloom. There is a glandular disc. 

 The ovary is one- to two-celled, syncarpous, many- 

 seeded, superior. The style is simple or absent. The 

 stigma is two-lobed or simple, or lamellar. The capsule 

 (septicidal), opens by two valves, and is many-seeded. 



The flowers are pollinated by insects. 



Hooker recognises three divisions : Chironieae, 

 including Yellow Wort, Least Yellow Gentian, 

 Ctc^n^^*^, Centaury ; Swertieas, including the Gentians ; 

 Menyantheae, including Bogbean, Limnanthemum, 



Many of these have bitter tonic properties. The 

 Gentians are cultivated as garden flowers. 



Yellow-Wort {Chlora perfoliata). 

 The Yellow-wort is unique among British plants 

 in the particular tint of yellow of the flowers (hence 

 Chlora). A well-marked feature is the clasping of the 

 stem by the leaf-bases, which are united around the 

 stem, or perfoliate (hence perfoliata). 



In the British Isles Yellow-wort is found only in 

 England and Ireland, being restricted, where indi- 

 genous, to particular soils. 



The habitat of this rather local wild flower is dry 

 pastures on chalk and clay, usually in damp places. 

 On the chalk it occurs on chalk grassland both in 



