PLUMBAGINACE^:. 475 



temperate and cold regions in the northern hemisphere; some occur 

 in elevated situations in warm countries. Lindley notices 29 genera, 

 including 215 species. Examples Primula, Androsace, Glaux, Trien- 

 talis, AnagalHs, Samolus. 



975. None of the plants of this order occur in the British Pharmaco- 

 poeias, and few of them have any important medicinal properties. Acridity 

 prevails more or less in the order. They are cultivated as showy garden 

 annuals and perennials. All the fine forms of Auricula are derived 

 from the yellow Primula Auricula, a native of the Swiss Alps. The 

 British species of Primula, are P. veris, the Cowsh'p, the flowers of 

 which are said to be narcotic; P. elatior, the Oxlip; P. vulgaris, the 

 Primrose; P. farinosa, the Bird's-eye Primrose; and P. scotica, the 

 Scottish Primrose. The species of Cyclamen, or Sowbread, have large 

 tuberous-like partially subterranean stems, with acrid properties, 

 and their English name is derived from the circumstance of their 

 being eaten as food by wild boars. In them, as well as in the species 

 of Dodecatheon, the petals are reflexed. The flowers of the species of 

 Anagallis are meteoric (^[ 484), and their seed-vessel is a pyxidiuin 

 (fig. 458). They are said to be acrid, and to cause inflammation of 

 the mucous membrane. Trientalis ewropcea is the only British plant 

 belonging to the Linnsean class Heptandria. It is slightly acrid. In 

 Samolus Valerandi, Brook-weed, the calyx is partially adherent to 

 the ovary, and in Glaux maritima, the corolla is abortive, and the 

 calyx becomes coloured (fig. 543). 



976. Order 142. pinmbaginaceie, the Sea-pink Family. (Monopet. 

 Hypog.) Calyx tubular, persistent, sometimes coloured; aestivation 

 plaited. Corolla monopetalous or pentapetalous, regular. Stamens 5, 

 hypogynous when the corolla is gamopetalous, attached to the base of 

 the petals when they are separate. Ovary free, 1 -celled; ovule 

 solitary, pendulous from a funiculus which arises from the bottom of 

 the cell; styles 5, seldom 3 or 4, each bearing a subulate stigma. Fruit 

 a utricle. Seed pendulous; spermoderm simple; embryo straight, in 

 the axis of mealy albumen; radicle superior. Herbs or undershrubs, 

 with alternate or fasciculate exstipulate leaves, somewhat sheathing at 

 the base; flowers panicled or capitate. They inhabit the sea-shores 

 and salt marshes chiefly in temperate regions. There are two sections 

 of this order: 1. Plumbagineae, with a synpetalous corolla and connate 

 styles. 2. Staticeas, with a pentapetalous corolla and distinct styles. 

 Lindley mentions 8 genera, and 160 species. Examples Plumbago, 

 Statice, Armeria. 



977. Some of the plants are acrid, others have tonic qualities. 

 Armeria maritima, Thrift, or common Sea-pink, grows both on the 

 sea-shores and on the top of the highest Scottish mountains. Its 

 inorganic chemical ingredients are said to vary in these positions 

 (IT 228). In Armeria the funiculus curves over the foramen of the 



