BEDSTRAW FAMILY 



239 



1. A. odordta (Sweet Woodruff). — Almost glabrous, about 6 

 in. high, erect ; leaves 6 — 9 in a whorl, lanceolate, with forward- 

 pointing prickles on their margins ; flowers white, in stalked, 

 terminal panicles ; fruit rough with hooked hairs. — Woods ; 

 common. A deservedly favourite plant for its agreeable scent, 

 when dried, of new-mown hay. — Fl. May, June. Perennial. 



2. A. cyndnchica (Quinsy-wort). — Smooth, prostrate; leaves 4 in 

 a whorl, linear, unequal ; flowers in loose clusters, white or pink. 

 — Dry banks and pastures, especially on a chalky or limestone 

 soil ; local. It derives its name from having been formerly used 

 as a remedy for quinsy or squinancy. — Fl. June, July. Perennial. 



■^ Two other species, A. taurina, with 4 elliptic 3-veined leaves 

 in a whorl, and A. arvensis, with 6 — 10 narrow^ leaves in a whorl 

 and blue flowers, occur occasion- 

 ally, but are not native; 



4. Sherardia (Field Madder). 

 — A prostrate herb with whorled 

 leaves, terminal sessile umbels of 

 lilac flowers, 4 — 6 sepals, 4-lobed 

 corolla, and dry jruit. (Named 

 in honour of William Sherard, 

 founder of the chair of Botany at 

 Oxford.) 



I. S. arvensis (Field Madder). 

 — A small, branched, spreading 

 plant; leaves narrow, pointed, 4 — - 

 6 in a whorl; and flowers minute, 

 lilac, resembling Asperula arvensis, 

 but differing in its pointed leaves 

 and distinct sepals. — Cultivated 

 land; abundant. — Fl. April — October. 



SHERARDIA ARVENSIS {Field Madder). 



Annual. 



Ord. XXXIX. Valeriane-^. — The Valerian Family 



A small Order of plants which are mostly herbaceous, with 

 opposite, exstipulate leaves, and small, usually asymmetric flowers 

 in dichasial, often crowded cymes. The calyx is superior, be- 

 coming finally a border, or pappus, to the fruit ; the corolla, of 

 3—6 united petals, is tubular and sometimes pouched or spurred 

 at the base ; stamens i or 3, rarely 5, epipetalous ; ovary with 

 I — 3 chambers, forming a dry indehiscent jruit, which is i- 

 seeded, two of the chambers being empty. The Order chiefly 

 inhabits temperate countries, and the plants forming it are often 

 strong-scented or aromatic. Many of them possess properties 



