3a THALAMIFLOR.E 



I. Helianthemum (Rock-Rose) 



1. H. vulgar e (Common Rock-Rose). Stem shrubby, prostrate ; 

 leaves with fringed stipules, oblong, green above, hoary beneath ; 

 calyx of 5 sepals, the two outer very small, fringed. A beautiful 

 little branching shrub, with loose racemes of large bright yellow 

 flowers, frequent in hilly pastures on a chalky or gravelly soil, 

 where its flowers only expand during sunshine ; the stamens if 

 lightly touched spread out and he down on the petals. Fl. July, 

 August. Perennial. 



2. H. canum (Hoary Rock-Rose). Grows on Alpine rocks in 

 Wales and the north of England ; the whole plant is smaller than 

 the above. The leaves are without stipules and very hoary beneath ; 

 flowers small, yellow. Rare. 



3. H. guttatum (Spotted Rock-Rose). A herbaceous species, 

 the flowers of which are yellow, with a blood-red spot at the base 

 of each petal. Rare Channel Islands, Cork in Ireland, and in 

 Anglesea. Annual. 



4. H. polifolium (White Rock-Rose). A small shrubby species 

 with white flowers, and leaves downy on both sides. Grows on 

 Brent Downs in Somersetshire, and on a few parts of the Devon- 

 shire coast. 



Natural Order IX 

 VIOLACEiE. The Violet Tribe 



Sepals 5 ; petals 5, sometimes unequal ; stamens 5 ; anthers 

 lengthened into a flat membrane ; style with a swollen stigma ; 

 ovary i-celled ; seeds numerous, in 3 rows. A beautiful and im- 

 portant Order of herbaceous plants or shrubs, strongly marked by 

 the above characters, inhabiting most regions of the world, except 

 those parts of Asia which are within the tropics. Those which 

 grow in temperate regions are mostly herbaceous ; but in South 

 America, where they are abundant, most of the species are shrubs. 

 The roots of some species are highly valuable in medicine, furnish- 

 ing Ipecacuanha, well known for its sudorific and emetic properties. 

 The British species also possess medicinal properties, though they 

 are rarely used. 



1. Viola (Violet). Sepals 5, extended at the base ; petals 5. 

 unequal, the lower one forming a spur ; anthers united into a tube, 

 two lower ones furnished with spurs, which are enclosed within 

 the spur of the corolla; capsule with 3 valves. (Viola was the 

 Latin name of some fragrant flower.) 



The handsome flowers of the different British species appear to 

 be for ornament rather than use, for they seldom produce any 

 seeds. In the autumn, however, very small flowers are produced, 



