248 ANAGALLIS. fci-ASS v. order i. 



it peculiarly fitted for this purpose. Flowers aie soiuetiiues fouud 

 with six, seven, and eight segments, in their corolla, and with the 

 same number of stamens. The style also is of variable lengths, some- 

 times very short, at others as long as the tube of the corolla, and some- 

 times it projects beyond it. The flower is nearly allied in its struc- 

 ture to Primula, with the exception of its deeply divided calyx. It 

 is found in similar situations to tlie above mentioned in almost all parts 

 of the Continent, flowering in Italy in April and May, and in Germany 

 in I^Iay and June. 



GENUS XIV. ANAGAL'LIS.— LixNN. Pimpernel 



Nat. Ord. Primula 'cE^. Vent. 



GiiN. Char. Calyx five parted. Corolla wheel-shaped, five lobed. 



Stamens hairy, inserted in the base of the corolla. Capsule glo- 



bo.se, bursting all round transversely. — Name from avaysX«i.', 



to laiifjh, because it was thought that it removed obstructions of 



the spleen, and thus disposed persons to be cheerful. 



1. A. arvensis, Linn. (Fig. 328.) Scarlet Pimpernel, or Poor Mail's 



Weather-glass. Stem widely spreading ; leaves opposite, ovate, sessile, 



dotted beneath. Corolla crenate on the margin, and fringed with 



small glandular hairs. 



English Botany, t. 529. — English Flora, vol. i. p. 281. — Hooker, 

 British Flora, vol. i. p. 105. — Lindley Synopsis, p. 185. 



^. ccerulea. (Fig. 329.) Corolla blue toothed on the margin, scarcely 

 with any glandular hairs. — A. cnrulea. Schreb. — English Bot. t. 

 1823. — English Flora, vol. i. p. 281. — Liudley, Synopsis, p. 185. 



Root of small branched fibres. Sletn square, smooth, much branched, 

 and widely spreading in the lower part, frequently dotted like the 

 under side of the leaves, with purple dots. Leaves opposite, sessile 

 sometimes, though rarely three tir four together, ovate, acute, with 

 three principal ribs from the base, smooth, bright green, sometimes 

 slightly downy. Floicers axillary, solitary, on a square slender pedicle, 

 longer than the leaves, erect when in flower, elongated and recurved 

 when in fruit. Calyx of five lanceolate segments, with a green keel 

 and pale membranous margin. Corolla wheel-shaped, with a very 

 short tube. The limb of five deep flat segments, of a bright scarlet 

 colour, crenatod on the margin, and with short glandular hairs, most 

 numerous when in bud, or when first expanded ; these hairs aie far less 

 numerous on the more deeply notched margins of the /5. rnrulea, whicli 

 appears to be the only character of distinction betwcenthe iwo, ex- 

 «;ept the dark splendid blue of the latter, which, instead of being purple 



