Pirate XXVI. 
HYPECOUM procumsens, Linn. 
Natural Order PAPAVERACER. 
Gen. Cuar.—Sepals 2. Petals 4. Stamens 4, opposite the petals 
Style bifid, lobes subulate. Capsule linear, divided by septa, either lo- 
mentaceous or dehiscing by two valves, bearing the placentas on the 
margin (Hook. et Benth. Gen. Plant. i. 54). Plants with watery juice. 
Spec. Cuar.—Sepals 2, oval, equalling about a third of the length of 
the corolla. Petals irregular, the two exterior large and three-lobed 
above, the two interior smaller, trifid (‘‘ rarely entire or bifid,” Gren. et 
Godr.), the central lobe fringed. Capsule lomentaceous, bent. 
Hypecoum procumbens, Linn. Sp. Plant. p. 181; Gren. et Godr. FI. 
de Fr. i. 62; Woods, Tour. Fl. p. 12. 
Hasitat.—Cultivated ground on sandstone formation. February, 
March. 
_ Remarxs.—In the ‘Genera Plantarum’ of Messrs. Bentham and 
Hooker (London, 1862), Hypecoum is placed at the commencement of 
the suborder Fumariez ; the Fumitories being considered by them as 
belonging to the Natural Order Papaveracee. Thus, Hypecoum stands 
with Corydalis on the one hand, and Eschscholtzia on the other. The 
geographical range of the genus is thus described (p. 54) :—‘ There 
are 4 (or 5 ?) species growing in Southern Europe, Northern Africa, and 
the temperate regions of Asia.’’ The structure of the two inner petals 
is very curious, and probably has reference to the fertilization of the 
plant. Before the opening of the flower, the fringed middle lobe of each 
of these petals is closely wrapped round the stamens, so that on the 
expansion of the flower the pollen is wiped out of the cells by the 
’ motion of withdrawal. As soon as the petals are spread, the fringed 
margins of this middle lobe become recurved, and expose the pollen so 
that the bodies of insects visiting the howers may readily come in con- 
tact with it. The plants figured were gathered on terraces near the 
cemetery in March, and are probably intermediate between Hypecoum 
procumbens, Linn., and H. grandiflorum, Benth. (Cat. Pl. Pyr. 91). 
This latter species is now abandoned by its author. 
Expranation oF Prats XXVI.—Fig. 1, an entire flower. Fig. 2, 
an exterior petal. Fig. 3, an interior petal from a bud. Fig. 4, the 
same, with the middle lobe recurved. Fig. 5, stamens and pistil. All 
the figures are magnified. 
