CLASS XV. ORDER I.] HUTCHINSIA. 883 



Habitat. — Wasle and cultivated ground, and by road sides ; very 

 coraraon. 

 Annual ; flowering all summer. 



This is a very variable and common plant, found in almost all parts 

 of the world, and in most places a troublesome weed. It is remarkable 

 for being less acrid in its properties than other of its allies. The variety 

 f. is a good example of the change of the petals into stamens, especially 

 as it is sometimes found that part of them are changed, and others are 

 not ; and perhaps upon the same plant some flowers are found perfect, 

 and others as we have described them. 



GENUS VIII. HUTCHINS'IA— Brown. Hutchinsia. 



Nat. Ord. CRUciF'KRiE. Juss. 



Gen. Char. Silicufa laterally compressed, elliptical, entire, of two 

 cells, two seeded, valves keeled, and opening at the back. Calyx 

 and petals equal. Filaments simple. Cotyledons accumbent. — 

 (c Fig. 1, page 871. — Named in honour of the late Miss Hutchins, 

 of Bantry, Ireland, who distinguished herself by a botanical know- 

 ledge of the plants of her native country, and the discovery of 

 many new species. 

 1. H. petr'cea,Br. (Fig. 1019 ) Rock Hutchinsia. Leaves pinnate, 

 smooth; stem branched and leafy; petals scarcely longer than the 

 calyx ; siliqua elliptic, obtuse ; stigma sessile ; seeds about four in 

 each cell. 



English Flora, vol. iii. p. 168. — Hooker, British Flora, ed. 4. vol. i. 

 p. 247. — Lindley, Synopsis, p. 28. — Lepidium petresum, Linn. — 

 English Botany, t. 111. 



Root small, fibrous. Stems mostly several, from one to four inches 

 high, erect, branched and leafy, smooth, or finely downy. Leaves 

 about an inch long, pinnated, with opposite lobes, those of the lower 

 leaves somewhat ovate, those of the upper linear, smooth. Injlorescence 

 a terminal sub-corymbose raceme. Flowers numerous, small, white. 

 Calyx of four equal ovate concave pieces, pale on the margin. 

 Petals four, elliptic, ovate, about as long as the calyx. Stamens about 

 as long as the petals, with simple slender filaments^ and ovate yellow 

 two celled anthers. Fruit a small elliptic siliqua, obtuse at each end, 

 smooth, two celled, each cell containing two small pale brown ovate 

 seeds. Stigma sessile in the slight terminal notch. 



Habitat. — Limestone rocks and walls in the West of England, as 

 far as Yorkshire ; but not common. 



Annual; flowering in March and April. 



