LYSIMACHIA. 167 



opposing the petals, generally monadelphous (united at the 

 base).* The ovary is evidently compounded of 5 carpels, 

 for in fruit it opens at the top by 5 valves, or 10 half-valves. 

 The seeds are several or many, attached to a free central 

 placenta in the one-celled capsule. 



The Name of the genus thus characterized is Lysimd- 

 chia (Loose-strife or peacemaker), being dedicated to Ly- 

 simachus, king of Sicily, "who," says Pliny, "first used it 

 in medicine." 



SPECIFIC CHAKACTEE. The species whose portrait we 

 give is distinguished from the others as follows : It is an 

 erect, smooth herb, 1-2 feet high, rising from a slender rhi- 

 zome or creeper, its stem terete, straight, without branches. 

 The leaves, commonly in whorls of 4s, more rarely in 5s, 

 3s or 6s, are ovate-lanceolate, pointed, very evenly pinni- 

 veined, and sessile. The flowers are on capillary (very slen- 

 der, or hair-like) peduncles, one in each axil of the upper 

 leaves, and 5-parted, with the petals longer than the sepals, 

 golden yellow with broken black lines. Stamens of unequal 

 length, evidently monadelplwus, with no rudimentary sta- 

 mens between. Capsule (in August) globular, 5-valved, 

 few-seeded. 



L. quadrifolia, its specific name, alludes to its whorled 

 leaves. There are other species, as L. stricta, with flowers 

 in a terminal raceme, a common plant in grassy meadows. 

 L. ciliata, with the leaves on dilate (hairy-edged) petioles, 

 and larger axillary flowers, with 5 rudiments of stamens, is 

 also common. L. nummularia, Moneywort, with trailing 



* In some species of Loosestrife we shall find certain little points or teeth inter- 

 posed between the stamens or the petals alternating with both. These are sterile 

 filaments, or rudiments of stamens, and are full of curious instruction. They explain 

 the anomalous position of the stamens in these flowers. With them all the organs 

 alternate. May we not make clear the same anomaly in Dodecatheon and Trientalis 

 by this analogy? We have only to suppose another set of stamens or rudiments 

 intended, between the stamens and petals. 



