ELATINACE.^E 



4i 



with i sepal cleft into 5 divisions, placed at the 

 ends of the shoots, and a i-celled capsule, with 

 numerous seeds. The plant is found near the 

 seashore in the south-east of England. 



The common Milk-wort {Polygala vulgaris) is 

 found in dry places ; the flowers are blue or pink, 

 and occasionally white. Some of the Continental 

 species have yellow flowers. 



Order XII. Polygalacea (1 genus) 



Many of the foreign species of this Order are 

 shrubs, but the only European genus is Polygala, 

 comprising the Milkworts, which are perennials, 

 the root-stem throwing up shoots several inches 

 long. The leaves are entire, alternate, and the 

 flowers are terminal, and form clusters. The 

 flowers are of the type called " Papilionaceous," or 

 butterfly-like ; but it is here the calyx, and not the 

 corolla, which assumes this form. It is composed 

 of five sepals, the two inner ones, or "wings," 

 being considerably larger than the others. The 

 latter are green. The three petals are small. 

 The capsule is compressed, and contains two 

 seeds ; the lowest forms a keel. The root-leaves 

 are clustered together into a rosette. There 

 are 8 stamens, divided above into two clusters. 



Order XIII. Elatinacece (1 genus) 



This family only includes a few small water- 

 plants, with from 3 to 5 sepals, and the same 

 number of petals, styles, and stamens ; or the 

 stamens may be more numerous. The capsule 

 has from 3 to 5 divisions, and contains numerous 

 seeds. 



Watervvort — Elatine triandra 

 (Plate XIV) 



The plants creep on the ground in swampy 

 places, close to, or even under the water. 



The species figured has sessile pink flowers, 

 with 3 petals and 3 stamens. It is a Continental 

 species, but there are two British species, both 

 rather scarce, with pink and white flowers respect- 

 ively. The Water-Pepper {Elatine hexandra) has 



