Observations on the North American Gratiola. 107 



flowers of a remarkably brilliant yellow, those of the European 

 plant are white. 



5. Quadridentata. Rather smooth ; stem terete, procum- 

 bent, sometimes viscous : leaves sessile, lanceolate, acute, 

 subpunctate, four-toothed, the two anterior teeth longer s 

 calyx-leaves unequal, linear ; bracts small, only on the 

 flowers which first appear, the later ones being deprived of 

 them : corolla white, internally pubescent, tube yellowish ; 

 sterile filaments two, small ; capsule ovate, acute, shorter than 

 the calyx. Inhabits from Carolina to Florida. 0. 



Nature is constant in preserving either entire, or by rudi- 

 ments, those characteristic marks which serve to connect 

 together any class of her productions, and to distinguish it 

 from others. In those species of the present genus where the 

 sterile filaments are wanting, the places which they ought 

 to have occupied, are marked by small points, and it is 

 not difficult in those that want the bracteal appendages to 

 the calyx, to point out their rudiments. It has been 

 suggested, that the simple calyx of this species, ought to 

 constitute it a distinct genus : but the discovery that it really 

 has bracts upon the flowers which first appear, should render 

 innovators more cautious of proposing alterations in our 

 present arrangements, and more circumspect in what they 

 advance concerning facts, that others may examine with more 

 attention than they themselves have thought necessary to 

 bestow upon them. 



6. Pilosa. Erect, branching, very hairy; stem tetragonal ; 

 leaves sessile, ovate, dentate ; flowers sub-peduncled : calyx 

 leaves unequal, the two intermediate ones small, setaceous ; 

 corolla white, internally smooth, sterile filaments two, very 

 small, scarcely visible. Inhabits in the dry pine forests from 

 Carolina to Florida. Q. 



Called by Walter, G. Peruviana. At first sight it scarcely 

 resembles a Gratiola. 



