Puate LXXXIII. 
OMPHALODES verna, Mench. 
Natural Order BoraGine®. 
Gen. Cuar.—“‘Calyx 5-partite, or sub-5-partite. Corolla broadly funnel- 
shaped or almost rotate, the tube being extremely short, tube rarely elon- 
gate cylindrical, throat closed with obtuse scales. Stamens 5, included in 
tube, anthers elliptic, longer than filament. Style simple, emarginate at 
the capitate apex. Ovary 4-partite. Achenes 4, depressed, affixed by 
base or side to the style, having a membranous, cup-shaped, broad margin 
inflexed above. Seeds . . . . obliquely ascending, horizontal or 
pendent; cotyledons flat, fleshy, obovate, much shorter than the radicle.” 
DC. Prodr. x. 158. [Translated : the italics are mine. ] 
Spec. Cuar.—/ lowers in twin, terminal, few-flowered-racemes, having 
1-3 leaves at their bases but no bracts; fruiting pedicels recurved. Calys 
covered with greyish, adpressed pubescence, lobes lanceolate acute. Corolla 
lilac in bud, afterwards deep blue, paler outside, rather more than half as 
long again as calyx. Carpels obovate, having the raised rim entire, pu- 
bescent when young. Leaves ovate or the lower ones cordato-ovate, finely 
pubescent, whitish below when young, few on stem. Rootstock creeping, 
throwing out rooting stolons sometimes a foot long. 
Omphalodes verna, Mench. Meth. p. 420; Gren. et Godr. FI. de Fr. 
ii. 538; Wood’s Tour. Fl. p. 252. 
Hasirat.—San Romolo near San Remo, collected by my father on 
May 3rd, 1868, and March 24th, 1871. 
Remarks.—This charming plant should be seen fresh gathered from, 
or growing in, its wild haunts to be fully appreciated. In our old- 
fashioned English gardens, where it goes by the name of Venus’ Navel- 
wort, it has, not unfrequently, spread as a weed in shady and overgrown 
places, where it becomes drawn and weakly, but near San Remo it 
rivals in beauty the Alpine Forget-me-not (Myosotis alpestris, Schmidt), 
itself. 
In France there are but two recorded habitats for Omphalodes verna, 
Meench, namely at Russy-Montigny near Villars-Cotterets in North-eastern 
France (Aisne), and in the neighbourhood of Lyons. Between Marseilles 
and Genoa I know of no other habitat for this plant except the one near 
San Remo, and among the Apennines and higher hills near Genoa, where 
it is said* by Prof. De Notaris to be frequent. Itis stated by Nymant 
to grow also in Lombardy and central Italy, Austria, Carinthia, Styria, 
and the Tyrol, Holland and Belgium (but as a doubtful native), Hun- 
* Dntrs. Rep. Fl. Lig. p. 319. t+ Sylloge, p. 87. 
