62 ENGLISH BOTANY. 



slender, erect, usually with a large roundish scarious bract a little 

 below the solitary flower, which is about -J inch across. Sepals 

 short, unequal. Petals pure-white, large, oval, scarcely connected 

 at the base. Pilaments bent into an S curve ; the anthers produced 

 into 2 horns, one on each side of the attachment to the filament, in 

 which it ditters from all the other British species, though the same 

 structure is observable in the Continental P. chlorantha (Swartz). 

 Stigma remarkably large, and in fruit with very prominent points, 

 though while in flower these are much less produced. 



Slngle-flotoered Winter-green. 



French, Pyrole Uniflore. German, Einhluthiges Wintergriin. 



Sub-Order IV.— MONOTROPEiE. 



Calyx wholly free from the ovary. Corolla usually persistent, 

 monopetalous, or of 4 or 5 distinct petals. Anthers 2-celled, with 

 the cells opening lengthways, or 1-celled, opening by a semicir- 

 cular cleft. Disk none. Eruit a capsule. Testa loosely envelop- 

 ing the seed. 



White or cream-coloured herbs, destitute of green leaves. 



GDNUS X—MONOTUOl? A. 



Calyx (?) free from the ovary, bractlike, of 2 or 5 coloured 

 deciduous scalelike sepals. Petals (?) 4 or 5, hooded at the base, 

 and secreting honey in the cavity, connivent in the form of a bell. 

 Stamens 8 or 10 ; anthers 1-celled, roundish-reniform, horizontal, 

 splitting transversely. Style short, with a large 4- or 5-crenulated 

 stigma. Capsule with 4 or 5 cells, splitting loculicidally, the 

 valves with the partitions attached to their middle. Seeds very 

 numerous, enveloped in a loose testa resembling an arillus. 



Low fleshy-white or cream-coloured herbs, with scales or bracts 

 in place of leaves. Elowers in racemes or solitary, drooping. 

 Fruit erect. 



The species of this genus have much the appearance of para- 

 sitical plants, but no connection has yet been traced between their 

 roots and those of the trees under which they grow. It may be 

 that they derive their nourishment from the decaying vegetable 

 matter that surrounds their roots. 



The name of this genus of plants is said to be derived from the Greek words 

 fiovoc (m&noe), one, and rpenw {trepo), I turn ; the flowers being said to turn all 

 one Wity, 



