82 THE HtPERIOUM FAMILY. 



an oblong or pyramidal panicle, not a flat" corymb. Sepals broad and 

 obtuse, nnited to near the middle,- without black dots outside, but 

 fringed at the top with black, glandular teeth. 



In dry woods, on open heaths and wastes, almost all over Europe, 

 but scarcely extending to the Asiatic frontier. Frequent in Britain. 

 Fl. summer. 



9. H. hirsutum, Linn. (fig. 187). Hairy H. A stiff, erect perennial, 

 with an oblong or pyramidal panicle like H. pulchrum, but rather 

 taller, and the stems always more or less downy or hairy. Leaves 

 often above an inch long, oblong or elliptical, narrowed at the base 

 into a very short stalk, more or less hairy underneath on the veins, 

 and marked with numerous pellucid dots. Flowers of H. pulchrum, 

 but of a paler yellow ; the sepals narrow, fringed with rather long, 

 glandular teeth ; the petals fully twice as long. 



In woods and thickets, generally spread over Europe and Russian 

 Asia, except the extreme north. Frequent in Great Britain. Very 

 rare ia Ireland. Fl. summer. 



10. H. xnontanum, Linn. (fig. 188). Mountain H. Stock perennial, 

 the stiff, erect stems about 2 feet high, usually simple, with the upper 

 leaves small and distant, the lower leaves rather large, ovate, and 

 stem-clasping, quite glabrous, with or without pellucid dots, but with 

 a row of black ones round the margin underneath. Flowers in a close 

 compact cyme, often reduced to a head ; the sepals lanceolate, fringed 

 with black, glandular teeth ; the petals twice as long, narrow, and paler 

 than in H. perforatum. 



In woods, in central and southern Europe to the Caucasus, and 

 northwards into southern Sweden. Not so frequent in England as the 

 other species, and in Scotland only found in Ayrshire ; only once found 

 in Ireland near Belfast. Fl. summer. 



11. H. Elodes, Linn. (fig. 189). Marsh H. Stems diffuse, often 

 rooting at the base, and attaining 6 to 8 inches, or, when very luxuriant, 

 a foot in length, covered with loose, woolly, whitish hairs. Leaves 

 orbicular, stem-clasping, woolly on both sides. Flowers pale yellow, 

 few together in a leafless cyme, at first terminal, but afterwards be- 

 coming lateral. Sepals small, ovate, copiously fringed with glandular 

 teeth. Petals three times as long, with a small fringed appendage at 

 their base. Stamens united to above the middle in 3 bundles. 



In spongy and watery bogs, in western Europe, from Spain and 

 Portugal to north-western Germany. Extends over the west of 

 England, Wales, and Ireland, and in Scotland to Argyllshire. PL 



XVII. LINAGES. THE FLAX FAMILY. 



Herbs or undershrubs, with, entire leaves, no stipules, and 

 regular flowers. Sepals 5, rarely fewer, overlapping each other 

 in the bud, rarely partially united. Petals as many, twisted 

 in the bud. Stamens as many, free, or the filaments very 

 shortly united at the base, with small teeth between each (or, 

 in exotic genera, 10 stamens). Styles 5, rarely fewer, oftep 



