216 ENGLISH BOTANY. 



spur at the base. Petals 5, the two lateral ones united together 

 and appearing like a single petal with two unequal lobes ; the one 

 opposite the hooded sepal slightly concave. Glands none. 

 Stamens 5, very short, with the anthers cohering. Caj)sule 

 ovoid-fusiform or sub-cylindrical, with the valves separating from 

 the column which bears the placenta and coiling spirally ; or 

 occasionally the central column is deciduous as well as the valves. 



Herbs with thick succulent stems, or undershrubs, commonly 

 glabrous. Leaves alternate, opposite or radical, without stipules, 

 but often having glands at the base of the petiole, pinnately 

 veined, serrate or dentate. Peduncles axillary, solitary, or several 

 together, 1- or several-flowered. Flowers generally handsome, 

 yellow, i^urple, rose-colour, or white. 



If Ave compare the flower of TropcEolum with that of 

 Impatiens, it will be seen that the spurred sepal of the latter 

 answers to the spurred sepal plus the 2 lateral ones next it in 

 the Indian Cress or Canary plant ; and thus in Impatiens the odd 

 sepal appears to be formed by the complete union of these three, 

 which union takes place only partially in Tropffiolum. 



The name given to this genus of plants speaks for itself It means " impatient," 

 and refers to the great elasticity of the valves of the capsule, which throw out the seed 

 with great force when touched. 



SPECIES I.-IMPATIENS NOLI-ME-T ANGERE. Linn. 



Plate CCCXIII. 

 Edch. Ic. D. Germ, et Helv. Vol. V. Oxal. Tab. CXCVIII6. Fig. 4483. 



Leaves oval-elliptical, not acuminated at the apes, serrated 

 with rather large unequal shallow teeth. Stipules none. Peduncles 

 3- to 6-flowered. Plowers drooping. Spurred sepal elongate- 

 conical, nearly thrice as long as broad, tapering gradually to about 

 one-fourth from the apex, where it is hooked round, but the hook 

 not applied to the side of the hood, nor emarginate at the apex. 



In moist shady places, probably wild in some of the stations 

 recorded for it. In Montgomery, North Wales; and Heywood, 

 Lancashire ; and Stockgill, and various places about Winander- 

 mere, Westmoreland. It has, however, been found in many other 

 places, but doubtless escaped from cultivation. 



England, [Scotland]. Annual. Summer and Autumn. 



Stem succulent, erect, branched, 1 to 2 feet high, enlarged at 

 the nodes. Leaves alternate, stalked, with the lamina 3 or 4 inches 



