XLV. JrtUOAOfcA 287 



A genus of very few species, inhabiting the woods of Europe, Asia, 

 and America, obviously allied to Pyrola, but readily distinguished by 

 the want of green leaves. As in the case of Pyrola, it has been divided 

 into almost as many genera as there are species. 



1. M. Hypopithys, Linn. (fig. 648). Yellow Bird's.nest.Stem about 

 8 or 8 inches high, often rather downy in the upper part, bearing oblong 

 or ovate concave scales instead of leaves. Flowers few, in a short ter- 

 minal raceme. Sepals and petals nearly of the same size, ovate or 

 oblong, glabrous or slightly downy inside, persisting round the capsule. 

 Anthers small, on slender filaments, opening by transverse valves. Th'e 

 terminal flower has its parts in fours, the lateral ones in fives. The 

 whole plant is of a pale yellowish-brown colour, turning black in drying. 

 Jlypopithys multijlora, Scop. 



In fir, birch, and beech woods, in Europe, north Asia and North 

 America, becoming a mountain plant in southern Europe, but extends 

 neither to high northern latitudes nor to great elevations in the Alps. 

 Scattered over nearly the whole of England, but only found in some 

 of the southern counties of Scotland, and very rare in Ireland. PL. 

 tummer. 



XLVI. PRIMULACE^. THE PRIMROSE FAMILY. 



Herbs, with leaves undivided except when under water; 

 the flowers either axillary or in terminal racemes or umbels. 

 Calyx usually of 5, sometimes 4, 6, or 7 divisions or teeth. 

 Corolla regular, more or less deeply divided into as many 

 lobes or teeth as divisions of the calyx, or rarely wanting. 

 Stamens as many as the lobes of the corolla, inserted in the 

 tube opposite the centre of the lobes, or where there is no 

 corolla, alternating with the lobes of the calyx. Capsule single, 

 1 -celled, containing several seeds attached to or immersed in a 

 free central placenta, which is often thick and globular. Style 

 single, with a capitate stigma. 



A widely spread family, inhabiting chiefly the northern hemisphere, 

 and especially high mountains, often at very great elevations. A few 

 species reappear in the Antarctic regions, and even within the tropics, 

 but the group is there represented chiefly by the Myrsinaceix, which 

 scarcely differ, except in their arboreous or shrubby growth. Both 

 the>e families are chiefly distinguished from other regular-flowered 

 MoiiopetaLs by the stamens being opposite to, not alternate with, the 

 lobes of the corolla. This character requires some care in observing it, 

 especially in those species of Lysimachia which have a deeply divided, 

 rotate corolla, and the stamens erect in the centre of the flower. 



Aquatic plant, with the leaves all submerged and piuuate, with 



lineur lobes 1. HOTTONU. 



Terrestrial plants, leaves undivided. 



leave* oppotiu, whorted or rarely alternate, flower* axillary or 

 ru/'iy terminal. 



