152 THE QENOTriERA FAMIIA. [Epilobium. 



buds erect, the petals deeply notched. Stigma entire and club-shaped. 

 Pod often very long. 



In wet ditches and watery places, throughout Europe, Russian Asia, 

 and a portion of North America, and extending to the Arctic Circle, 

 and very nearly allied to a common Australian species. Common in 

 Britain. Fl. summer. [The following forms are more or less well 

 marked 



a. E, tetragonum proper. Scions formed in autumn and bearing rosu- 

 late leaves, leaves narrow shining above, capsule 2 to 4 inches long. 



b. E. obscurum, Schreb. (E. virgatum, Gren. and Godr.). Scions very 

 slender, formed in summer with few opposite leaves, leaves broader, 

 opaque above, capsule 1 to 2 inches long. 



c. E. Lamyi, Wirtg. Scions as in a, but stem-leaves narrowed into 

 short petioles.] 



7. E. palustre, Linn. (fig. 348). Marsh E.Very near E. alpinum, 

 *nd by some believed to be a lowland form of it. It has the same 

 slender scions, entire or not much toothed leaves, short terminal 

 racemes, small flowers, nodding buds, and club-shaped, undivided 

 stigma ; but its stature is taller, often a foot or even 2 in height, 

 and the leaves are longer and much narrower, often linear. It some- 

 times also comes very near the narrow-leaved forms of E. roscum and E. 

 tetragonum, but has the buds much more nodding, and the decurrent 

 Hues on the stem are either very faint or entirely wanting. 



in wet, boggy places, and ditches, throughout Europe and Russian 

 Asia, but more especially in the north, extending into the Arctic regions. 

 Generally distributed over Britain, but not very common. Fl. summer. 



8. E. alsinefolium, Vill. (fig. 349). Chickweed ^.Closely allied to, 

 and perhaps a mere variety of, E. alpinum, but much more luxuriant, 

 and frequently branched, though seldom more than 6 inches high. 

 Leaves very shortly stalked, ovate, and toothed, and an inch long or 

 more, like those of E. montanum, but of a thicker consistence. Flowers 

 larger than those of E. alpinum, forming very short, leafy racemes. 

 Buds nodding, and stigma club-shaped, as in E. alpinum. The autumnal 

 scions are more frequently underground than green and leafy. 



Along alpine rivulets and springs, in all the great mountain-ranges of 

 Europe and western Asia. Very common in the Scotch Highlands, ex- 

 tending into the mountains of North Wales and north-western England, 

 but not recorded from Ireland. Fl. summer. 



9. E. alpinum, Linn. (fig. 350). Alpine E. This little plant is 

 seldom more than 4 or 5 inches high, and often much shorter, decum- 

 bent and much branched at the base, glabrous or nearly so; the 

 autumnal scions usually above ground, slender and leafy, rarely short 

 and tufted. Leaves more or less stalked, small, ovate or lanceolate, 

 usually obtuse, and entirely or obscurely toothed. The stems have not 

 the raised decurrent lines of E. roseum, but are only marked occasionally 

 with faint downy lines. The flowers, although as small as in E. palustre, 

 appear large in proportion to the size of the plant, they are few in the 

 axils of the upper leaves, forming short, leafy racemes. Buds nodding. 

 Totals notched. Stigma club-shaped, entire or nearly so. Pod 1 to 

 2 inches long, narrowed at the base into a long stalk. [The stolons 

 are rosulate, but E. anagallidifolium is a form in which they arp 

 elongate.] 



