CLASS XV. ORDER II. | cakdamine. 923 



Root tapering, slender. Stems several, from two to four inches 

 high, slender, simple, erect, smooth, and leafy. Leaves dark green, 

 smooth, thick, fleshy, the radical ones ovate, or oblong, tapering into a 

 long footstalk, entire, or slightly waved or toothed on the margin, 

 those of the stem ovale, nearly sessile. Ivjiorescence a terminal sub- 

 corymbose cluster of erect v\hite flowers. Calyx erect, ovate, with a 

 pale membranous margin. Petals oblong, tapering into a claw, erect. 

 Stamens with awl-shaped filaments^ and yellow two celled anthers. 

 Fruit an erect linear smooth siliqua, terminating in a short style and 

 capitate stigma. 



Habitat. — Alpine pastures Scotland. — Mr. Milne. 



Perennial; flowering in August. 



This species is found on the Alps and Pyrenees, and in the North of 

 Europe ; but it is very doubtful if it is a native of England. 



':-'i- Leaves pinnate. 



2. C. praien^sis, Linn. (Fig. 1067.) Common Bitter-cress, or CucJioo- 

 Jlower. Leaves pinnate; leaflets of the radical leaves roundish, ovate, 

 toothed, those of the stem lanceolate, nearly entire; petals obovate, 

 three times as long as the calyx ; style short, thick ; stigma capitate. 



English Botany, t. 776.— English Flora, vol. iii. p. 189, — Hooker, 

 British Flora, ed. 4. vol. i. p. 251. — Lindley, Synopsis, p. 25. 



Root tapering, sometimes tuberous, and often scattered over with 

 fleshy scales. Stem erect, round, smooth, mostly simple, about a foot 

 high ; sometimes, but rarely, the stem is hairy, especially at the base. 

 Leaves smooth, rarely hairy, somewhat fleshy, the radical ones v^ilh 

 long footstalks, and bearing from two to four pairs of leaflets, of a 

 roundish heart-shaped form, toothed, angular and wavy, each on a short 

 footstalk, the upper leaves mostly bearing more numerous lanceolate 

 sessile leaflets, entire, the terminal one generally largest, and cleft. 

 Inflorescence a terminal sub-corymbose cluster of large spreading 

 pinkish flowers, becoming in fruit a lax raceme. Calyx erect, of four 

 oblong pieces, smooth. Petals four, ovate, emarginate, tapering into 

 a claw, and having on each side a small tooth or notch. Stamens 

 erect, with awl-shaped ^/amen<5, the style very short, thick, the stigmas 

 small, obtuse. Fruit a linear smooth erect siliqua, compressed. 

 Seeds ovate, numerous, in a single row. 



Habitat. — Moist meadows ; abundant. 



Perennial ; flowering in May. 



The flowers by cultivation become double, and form a very pretty 

 border ornament of the garden, and varying in colour from white to a 

 beautiful pale purple. The leaves, when the flowers are double, often 

 form fleshy bulbs, as is the case in the Dentaria bulbifera, and 

 lake root and become new plants. This is a most beautiful instance 

 of the provision made for the perpetuity of particular species; 

 for when by luxurious feeding the flowers of this plant become double 



