240 GENTIANS^!. [CHLORA. 



horizontal, anatropous. Capsule 1- or incompletely 2-celled, septiridally 

 2-valved, rarely indehiscent, many-seeded. Seeds minute, testa reticulate, 

 albumen copious fleshy ; embryo minute, cotyledons small, cohering or 

 diverging. DISTRIB. Chiefly in cold and temp, mountain regions, rarely 

 polar ; genera 60 ; species 450. AFFINITIES. Close with Apocyiicae. 

 PROPERTIES. Bitter and tonic. 



SUB-ORDER I. Gentia'neee. Leaves opposite. Corolla-lobes twisted. 



Corolla rotate. Stamens 6-8. Leaves perfoliate 1 . Chlora. 



Corolla funnel-shaped. Stamens 4. Stigma entire 2. Cicendia. 



Corolla funnel-shaped. Stamens 5. Anthers twisted 3. Erythreea. 



Corolla-tube subclavate. Anthers straight. Stigmas 2 4. Gentiana. 



SUB-ORDER II. Menyan'these. Leaves alternate. Corolla induplicate. 



Leaves 3-foliolate 5. Menyanthes. 



Leaves orbicular, floating 6. Limiianthemum. 



l. CHLO'RA, L. YELLOW- WORT, YELLOW CENTAURY. 

 Annual or biennial, erect, glaucous herbs. Leaves broadly connate at 

 the base. Flowers yellow, in 3-chotomous cymes. Calyx 6-8-partite. 

 Corolla rotate, persistent, 6-8-partite. Stamens 6-8, inserted on the throat 

 of the corolla. Ovary 1-celled ; style 2-fid, deciduous, stigmas oblong 

 obtuse. Capsule septicidally 2-valved, many-seeded. Seeds minute, sunk 

 in the placentas. DISTRIB. Europe, N. Africa, W. Asia ; species 2, 

 ETYM. x A P<k> yellow. 



1. C. perfolia'ta, L. ; radical leaves obovate-spathulate, cauline ovate. 

 Chalk or clay banks and pastures from York southwards ; S. and Mid. 

 Ireland ; fl. June-Sept. Glabrous. Stems 1 or more from the root, 6-18 in., 

 terete. Radical leaves 1-2 in., rosulate, obtuse ; cauline smaller, broadly 

 ovate, acute. Flowers J- in. diam., many. Sepals slender, lanceolate- 

 subulate. Corolla-lobes bright yellow, oblong, obtuse ; tube finally ruptured 

 by the capsule. Stigma 2-fid. DISTRIB. Europe (excl. Greece) from 

 Belgium southwards, N. Africa, W. Asia. 



a. CICEN DIA, Adanson. 



Small annual branched herbs. Leaves oblong or filiform. Flowers small, 

 yellow or pink, in 3-chotomous cymes or fascicles. Calyx 4-5-lobed or 

 -partite. Corolla funnel-shaped, persistent ; tube short or 0, throat naked ; 

 lobes 4-5. Stamens 4-5, inserted on the corolla-tube. Ovary 1- or 

 partially 2-celled ; style deciduous, stigma capitellate ; ovules many, on 2 

 parietal placentas. Capsule 1- or almost 2-celled, 2-valved, many-seeded. 

 Seeds minute, immersed in the placenta. DISTRIB. Europe, N. America ; 

 species 3 or 4. ETYM. Doubtful. 



1. C. filifor'mis, Reich.; leaves subulate, calyx campanulate, teeth 

 deltoid acute, corolla-lobes obtuse equalling the tube. Exacum, Sm. 

 Sandy bays, Pembroke and Cornwall to Sussex ; Cork in Ireland ; fl. July- 



Oct. Glabrous. Stem 4-8 in., angled, simple or sparingly branched above, 



very slender, branches suberect. Leaves ^-^ in. /Yower4-merous, yellow ; 



pedicels stout, very long, A-2 in. Capsule ovoid, in.--DiSTRiB. "Europe 



from Denmark southwards (excl. Russia), Azores. 



