Rcttda.] VII. RESEDACE^E. 51 



an introduced plant with us, as in northern Europe generally. Fl 

 summer. 



2. B. lutea, Linn. (fig. 115). Cut-leaved M. Not so tall as R. luteola, 

 much more branched, and less erect. Leaves very variable, but always 

 deeply divided, most of them once or twice trifid, but occasionally 

 pinnatifid, with few oblong or linear segments, much waved on the 

 margins. Flowers on slender pedicels, in long racemes. Sepals usually 

 6, but sometimes only 5. Petals as many, of a greenish yellow, the 

 lowest entire or 2-cleft, the others irregularly divided into 2, 3, or 4. 

 Capsule oblong, with 3, rarely 4, very short teeth. 



In waste places, especially in limestone districts, in central and 

 southern Europe, to the Caucasus. In Britain, in south-eastern England, 

 on the limestones of the western and northern counties of Ireland, and 

 on the east of Scotland to Aberdeen. FL. summer. 



3. B. alba, Linn. (fig. 116). White M.A tall perennial, the lower 

 leaves crowded on the stock or base of the stem, and all deeply pinnate, 

 with numerous (9 to 21) linear or lanceolate segments, entire, but waved 

 on the margins. Flowers on short pedicels, much whiter than in the 

 last two species. Sepals 5 or 6. Petals as many, all equal, and 3-cleft. 

 Capsule ovoid, with 4, or sometimes 3, 5, or 6 teeth. JR. fruticulosa, 

 Linn. 



A Mediterranean species, long since introduced into gardens, and 

 occurs as an outcast on the south coasts of England and Ireland. Fl. 

 rwmmer. 



VIII. CISTACE^l. THE CISTUS FAMILY. 



Shrubs or herbs, with opposite, or, in a few exotic species, 

 alternate leaves, with or without stipules ; the flowers in ter- 

 minal racemes. Sepals 3, nearly equal, overlapping each 

 other in the bud, with or without 2 smaller outer ones. Petals 

 5, or rarely fewer, broadly spreading. Stamens numerous, 

 hypogynous, and free. Ovary and style single. Capsule 

 1-celled, or incompletely divided into several cells, opening in 

 3, 5, or 10 valves, which bear along their centre as many 

 placentas or imperfect partitions. Seeds several, the embryo 

 curved, imbedded in albumen. 



A small Order, spread chiefly over southern and western Europe and 

 northern Africa, with a few American species. It corresponds with 

 the old Linnean genus Cistus, which is now limited to the large-flowered 

 species with 5 valves to the capsule. They are none of them British, 

 but include the well-known Gum-Cistuses of our gardens. 



I. HELIANTHEMUM. ROCKROSE. 



Low or diffuse undershrubs or herbs, with the flowers smaller than 

 fin the true Cistuses, and the capsule opening in 3 valves only. The 

 ^aves in the British species are all opposite, and the 2 outer sepals 

 T$ry seldom wanting. 



