368 THE KINDS OF PLANTS 



A. marftimum, Linn. Sweet alyssum of the gardens (from Europe). 

 Fig. 519. Annual, producing a profusion of small white, fragrant flowers. 

 There are many cultivated forms. 



9. CAPSfiLLA. SHEPHERD'S PURSE. 



Low short-lived annuals, with very small white flowers in racemes: 

 pod obcordate or inversely triangular, the partition run- 

 ning across the narrow diameter, containing several seeds. 

 C. Bursa-pastdris, Medic. Common shepherd's purse. 

 Fig. 286. One of the commonest little weeds: root-leaves 

 pinnatifid or strong- toothed, in a rosette, the stem-leaves 

 arrow-shaped. Europe. 



10. LEPIDIUM. PEPPER-GRASS. 



Small stiffish annuals (or biennials), which shed their 

 leaves late in the season: flowers very small, white or 

 greenish, in elongating racemes: pod small and roundish, 

 the partition running across the narrow diameter. Plant 

 peppery to the taste. 

 519. Alyssum L virginicum, Linn. Common pepper-grass. About 



mantimum. - ., i i -, , , , , , ,. 



1 ft. high, much branched, glabrous: leaves linear to 



lanceolate, tapering to the base, the lower mostly pinnatifid. Common 

 weed; often fed to canary birds. 



11. IBtRIS. CANDYTUFT. Fig. 192. 



Herbs with white, or purple flowers in flat or elongated clusters; 2 outer 

 petals larger than 2 inner: silicles flattened, truncate, cells 1-seeded. Cul- 

 tivated. 



I. umbellata, Linn. Annual, 1 ft. or more: lower leaves lanceolate, the 

 upper linear and entire: flowers mostly purple or lilac in flat clusters: 

 silicles acutely 2-lobed. June and July. 



I. amara, Linn. Annual: leaves lanceolate, toothed toward apex: flowers 

 white. The common white-flowered candytuft, in many forms (including 

 the garden /. coronaria). 



12. RAPHANUS. RADISH. 



Annual or biennial herbs, with lyrate, pinnately-lobed root-leaves: 

 flowers rather showy in long racemes; calyx erect; petals clawed; style long 

 and slender: pod linear, indehiscent, constricted between the seeds, pithy; 

 seeds spherical. Europe. 



R. Raphanistrum, Linn. White charlock. A weed, common in the 

 East: tap-root slender: petals yellow,' fading to white or purplish: pod 4- to 

 10-seeded, long-beaked, constricted between seeds when dry. 



R. sativus, Linn. Garden radish. Flowers pink or white: root fleshy, 

 spindle- or turnip-shaped, red or white: silique 2-3 -seeded, short and 

 pointed, with fleshy partitions between seeds: seeds round and blackish. 



