BALSAMINACE^. 131 



lanceolate^ pointed, the median nerve scarcely prominent, the la- 

 teral nerves scarcely visible. Pedicels about as long as the flowers. 

 Outer sepals ovate; inner ones obovate, scarious, but entire at 

 their margins. Petals thrice as long as the sepals, slightly cre- 

 nulate at their apex. Capsule globular, pointed, about double 

 the length of the calyx, which embraces its lower half. 

 Chalky hills. Perennial; June-Sept. 



Sect. II. Leaves opposite. 



Ij. catharticunij Lin. Purging Flax. — e.b. 382. l.b.s. 203, 

 A. 18. C. 82. Lat. 50-61°. Alt. 0-800 yds. Tern. 52-37°. 



Stems erect, 3-9 inches high, with forked branches (branching 

 dichotomously) . Leaves opposite, oblong, the flower-leaves obo- 

 vate, rough at the margin. Flowers white, in irregular cymes on 

 very long pedicels. Sepals elliptical, pointed, scarcely as long as 

 the capsule. Petals longer than the sepals. 



Grassy places, waysides, and dry banks. Annual ; June-Aug. 



E/ADiOLA, Gmel. — Annual, glabrous, minute plants, with oppo- 

 site leaves and very small flowers. Calyx in four divisions, either 

 2 or 3-cleft. Petals, stamens, and styles 4 respectively, Cap- 

 sul2 4-celled, each cell separated by an incomplete partition into 

 two secondary cells, which contain a single seed in each, 



R. Millegrana, Sm. Thyme-leaved Flax-Seed. — e.b. 893. 

 L.B.S. 203. 



A. 18. C. GO. Lat. 50-60°. Alt. 0-100 yds. Tern. 52-46°. 



Stems filiform, branching from the base, diffuse, 2-6 inches 

 high. Leaves opposite, ovate, acute, with a single nerve. Flowers 

 solitary, in the forks of the stem, or in terminal contiguous 

 clusters. Petals about as long the sepals. Stigmas capitate. 



In moist sandy or heathy places. Annual ; July, Aug. 



BALSAMINACEtE, Rich. The Balsam Family, 



Annual, succulent plants, with stems which are more or less 

 enlarged at the junctions (articulations). Leaves simple, toothed 

 or entire. Flowers on axillary peduncles, irregular. Calyx tetra- 

 sepalous (having 4< sepals) . Sepals unequal ; the two outer and 

 lateral ones are small and herbaceous, the 2 inner larger and 

 petaloid ; the upper one forming a helmet (casque), the lower one 

 prolonged at its base and forming a short spur. Petals 2 (or 4, 

 but cohering and forming only 2), small, unequal. Stamens 5. 



