THE GEKANIUM FAMILY. 99 



ground, is now lost there. (Mr. Hunt.) Formerly it also grew in plenty 

 on Crumpsall Green. (J. P.) Fl. summer and autumn. Annual. 



E. B. xiv. 937 ; Baxter, ii. 125. 



2. Ta"vvny Touch-me-not — {Impdtiens fhlva.) 

 Woods and rough places about Marple Old Hall, abundant. (Mr. J. 

 Sidebotham.) Fl. summer and autumn. Annual. 

 E. B., Supp. ii. 2794. 



A colonist in reality, from Nortli America. The facility witli which the Touch- 

 me-nots establish themselves where the seed is once scattered, will probably 

 render them common plants in the course of time. Three or four Indian species 

 are cultivated in green-houses, but in general only the Balsamina liortensls, the 

 " Balsam " of the florist, an exceedingly elegant plant, with thick, semi-transparent 

 stems, and profusion of variegated and usually double flowers, resembling small 

 carnations. The Impatiens coccinea, a tall and weedy plant, with flowers of a 

 dull red colour, is rapidly disseminating itself, growing, like its congeners, where- 

 ever a seed is dropped. 



Vni.— THE GERANIUM FAMILY. Geranidcec^. 



Herbaceous or under-shrubby plants. Leaves simple, stipuled, on 

 long stalks, usually fan-lobed, with the segments more or less deeply 

 cleft, but in some cases pinnatifid, and often aromatic. Flowers 

 simple, pentamerous, regular in the British species, often irregular in 

 the exotics ; the petals most frequently of some glowing shade of red, 

 and richly streaked, laced with coloured veins, or parti-coloured; 

 sometimes white or blue, and similarly pencilled. Stamens ten ; the 

 alternate ones, or three of them, sometimes imperfect ; stigmas five, 

 large, beautiful, coloured, and elegantly recurved ; inflorescence in 

 umbels, occasionally reduced to a couple of flowers, or even to a 

 single one. 



Geraniums are distinguished from all other plants by their fruit, 

 which consists of five one-seeded carpels, greatly lengthened at the 

 upper extremity, and leaning against a tall and slender pillar. When 

 ripe, the carpels detach themselves from the pillar, commencing at 

 the base, and gradually curving upwards and outwards till they just 

 hang to the apex by their points, forming five elegant concave arms, 

 each with a seed in the little cup at the extremity. Sometimes they 

 twist spirally while separating, when the fine white hairs with which 



9 A 



