CLASS XII. ORDER IH.J GEUM. 733 



eight. Stamens numerous, with slender awl-shaped filaments and 

 roundish anthers, of two kidney-shaped lobes. Styles numerous, 

 feathery, with white shining silky hairs, much lengthened out as the 

 seed ripens. 



Habitat. — Not uncommon in the alpine districts of England, Scot- 

 land, and Ireland. 



Perennial ; flowering in June. 



This is an extremely beautiful and^ delicate alpine plant, its large 

 white flowers elegantly bending over its mat of numerous dark leaves, 

 are very ornamental in its large spreading tufts. It is perhaps more 

 frequent in the alpine districts of the Continent than with us ; and this 

 species and D. integrifolia, found in Greenland, having the leaves entire, 

 and not crenated, are the only known species of the genus, and there 

 are some doubts if the latter is more than a variety of Z>. octopetala. It 

 is an extremely pretty garden plant, but requires a northern exposure, 

 and a sandy or gravelly soil. 



GENUS XI. GE'UM.— Linn. Avens, 



Nat. Ord. Rosa'ce^. Juss. 



Gen. Char. Calj/x ten cleft, five outer alternate segments, smaller, 



patent. Petals ^ve. Car/^e/s numerous, smooth or hairy, inserted 



into a dry elongated receptacle, and terminated by the elongated 



stylct hooked at the extremity, and jointed about the middle. — 



Name from ysuw, to taste well; or give an agreeable flavour ; 



from the property of some of the species of the genus. 



I. G. urba'numf Linn. (Fig. 830.) Common Avens, Herb Bennet. 



Stem erect ; leaves ternate, the radical ones lyrato-pinnate ; stipules 



roundish, cut ; carpels in a spherical head, numerous, downy, each 



with a jointed awn, smooth or hairy at the base, 



English Botany, t. 1400.— English Flora, vol. ii. p. 430.— Hooker, 

 British Flora, ed. 4. p, 208. — Lindley, Synopsis, p. 98. 



Root of numerous stout dark brown aromatic fibres. Stem about 

 two feet high, round, or obtusely angular, rough, with spreading hairs 

 branched above, and leafy. Leaves mostly numerous from the root, on 

 long stalks, lyrato-pinnate, the terminal leaflet rounded, frequently 

 lobed, and unequally cut and serrated, the lateral leaflets small, 

 unequal, the leaves of the stem on shorter stalks, the upper ones 

 sessile, ternate, unequally cut and serrated, with a wedge-shaped base, 

 a cheerful green above, paler beneath, and scattered over with short 

 hairs. Stipules large, rounded, more or less cut and irregularly 

 serrated. Flowers not very numerous, yellow, small, on long round 

 erect hairy footstalks. Calyx spreading, about as long as the ovate 

 •petals, with short claws and distinct branched veins. Stamens with 



5 c 



