THE PHLOX FAMILY. 271 



stems, and the odour of lucifer-matches. These drawbacks are more 

 than compensated by the delicate hue of the blossoms, which are 

 either lilac and primrose intermingled in the same cluster, as in the 

 Lantana mutdbilis, or of a fine rich orange colour, as in the crocea. 

 The flowers are borne in little umbels an inch and a half across. 



The affinities of the family are closest with the Labiata^, and their 

 properties are much the same, but they are not of importance in a 

 medicinal or economic point of view, being deficient in those reser- 

 voirs of oil upon the leaves Avhich render the plants of the family in 

 question so remarkable. The leaves are generally opposite and simple; 

 the inflorescence is various ; the corolla usually irregular, though not 

 mouth-shaped ; the stamens and pistil as in the Labiates, except that 

 the style proceeds from the summit of the ovary instead of from the 

 base, and that the ovary is not divided into four. The gay, hardy 

 autumnal flower is the Verbena melindres or V. cJiamcBdrifolia, and is 

 a native of the neighbourhood of Buenos Ayres. Verbena venusa and 

 several other species of similar habit are sparingly in cultivation. 



LXXVIII— THE PHLOX FAMILY. Polemonidcea . 



Pretty little herbaceous plants, except in the instance of the Cobcea, 

 which climbs to the height of many yards. Leaves usually opposite 

 and simple, sometimes so deeply pinnatifid as to seem jjinnate. 

 Flowers regular, pentamerous, the petals usually united into a tube at 

 the lower part, and concealing the stamens, which correspond in 

 number with the petals, and are alternate with them. Style one ; 

 stigmas three; ovary three-celled. This last character is eminently 

 characteristic, distinguishing the family from all other exogens that 

 have the stamens inserted on the corolla, and especially from the 

 primrose and cowslip kind, which the blossoms a good deal resemble 

 in general structure, but in which the ovary is only one-celled. The 

 flowers are usually borne in panicles, and in dlfierent species, are of 

 every colour except yellow. The pollen is often blue, whatever be the 

 colour of the corolla. Pollen of this tint is not uncommon where the 

 Jloivers are blue, but it is remarkable to find it blue where they are of 

 any different tint. The seeds are usually numerous, and remarkable, 

 in several instances, for having their outer skin or "testa" provided 

 with an infinite number of exceedingly delicate and minute spiral 

 threads, which lie coiled up, spire within spire, on the outer surface. 



