172 FOUNDATIONS OF BOTANY 



leafless except for an involucre of small bracts at the summit, 

 with a large umbel of showy, nodding flowers. Calyx deeply 

 5-cleft, with reflexed, lanceolate divisions. Tube of the 

 corolla very short, the divisions of the 5-parted limb strongly 

 reflexed. Filaments short, somewhat united at the base ; 

 anthers long, acute, and combining to form a conspicuous cone. 



1. D. meadia, L. Shooting Star, Indian Chief. Corolla 

 varying from rose-color to white. In rich woods in most of the 

 Middle and Southern States. Often cultivated. 



n. PRIMULA, L. 



Low, perennial herbs, with much-veined root-leaves ; scapes, 

 each bearing an umbel of flowers, which are often showy. 

 Calyx tubular, decidedly angled, 5-cleft. Corolla more or less 

 salver-shaped, with the tube widened above the insertion of 

 the stamens ; the 5 lobes of the limb often notched or cleft. 

 Stamens 5, not protruding outside the corolla-tube. Capsule 

 egg-shaped, splitting at the top into 5 valves, each of which 

 may divide in halves. 



1. P. grandiflora, Lam. True Primrose. Leaves spatulate or 

 obovate-oblong. Flowers rising on separate slender j)edicels from 

 the leaf-axils. Corolla originally pale yellow, but varying to white, 

 red, and many intermediate shades, with a broad, flat limb. Culti- 

 vated from Europe. 



2. P. sinensis, Sabine. Chinese Primrose. A rather coarse, 

 downy plant. Leaves round-heart-shaped, more or less lobed and 

 cut, long-petioled. Flowers large, in umbels, usually rose-color or 

 white. Calyx large, inflated and conical. Cultivated as a house 

 plant. 



m. TRIENTALIS, L. 



Low, smooth, perennial herbs, with slender, erect, un- 

 branched stems. Leaves lanceolate, ovate, or oblong, mostly 

 in a whorl at the summit of the stem. Flowers one or few, 

 terminal, on slender peduncles, small, white or pink. Sepals 

 narrow and spreading. Corolla wheel-shaped, with usually 

 7 taper-pointed segments. Ovary globose ; style thread-like, 

 Qapsule globose, many-seeded. 



