52 PLANTS OF BERMUDA. 



1. B. repens. A small perennial, prostrate plant ; stems appressed 

 to ground, slender, wiry, rooting and interlacing, forming patches 

 some feet in diameter ; leaves cordate, orbicular, entire, half to one 

 inch in diameter ; petioles two inches ; flowers axillary, on stalks 

 quarter to one inch long ; sejjals silky, oblong, blunt, rather longer 

 than the ovate corolla-lobes ; capsule double, seed-like, enclosed in 

 the persistent calyx. Distribution, AVest Indies and Southern 

 United States ; habitat, very common, mixed with grass on uncul- 

 tivated land and hillsides. Flowers insignificant, quarter-inch in 

 diameter, greenish -white : March to June. 



Xot : Ord : il. Hydroleacea. 



Herbaceous plants with alternate leaves without stipules ; calyx 

 five-partite ; corolla tubular, five-lobed : stamens five, inserted in 

 corolla ; ovary superior, mmiy- seeded ; styles two, distinct. 



I. XAMA. 



1. X. Jamaicensis. An annual, pubescent plant ; stems eight to 

 twelve inches long, prostrate, branching and radiating from the 

 root ; leaves one to two inches long, obovate, entire, their broad 

 base continued down the stem, forming wings ; flowers shortly 

 stalked, axillary, solitary or in pairs ; sepals five, narrow, acute, 

 silky, one-third of an mch long : corolla tubular, scarcely longer 

 than sepals, slightly compressed, lobes rounded regular ; stamens 

 half the length of corolla-tube ; styles slender ; capsule superior, 

 oblong, four-valved, many-seeded, enclosed in persistent sepals. 

 Distribution, West Indies ; habitat, a frequent weed in gardens. 

 Flowers white ; summer months. 



Xat : Ord : 48. Solanacc(e. 



Herbs or shrubs ; leaves alternate (floral ones sometimes in pairs) 

 without stipules. Flowers usually regular, axillary ; calyx five- 

 parted, persistent, inferior ; corolla hypogynous, five-lobed, limb 

 plaited or folded in the bud ; stamens five, short, inserted on corolla- 

 tube and alternate with its lobes, anthers two-celled, usually con- 

 verging at their tips ; ovary two-celled ; style and stigma simple ; 

 fruit a many -seeded capsule or berry. 



This is a very important order of plants ; although a poisonous 

 principle is found in many of the species, it yet contributes most 

 valuable food i)roducts : foremost among these is the potato [Solanum 

 tubi roifiim)^ now so largely grown in these Islands for the New York 

 market (the exports which in 1870 were under 12,000 barrels had 

 risen in 1883 to nearly 31,000 barrels). The Tomato {Li/eopemifum 

 esculent li til) also belongs to this order, and the exports of this fruit 

 are very considerable. The Egg-plant [Solannm escuhntnm) is grown 

 for home consumption, and is conspicuous by its profusion of large, 

 purple, egg-.shaped fruit. Varieties of Capsicum or Bird Pepper 

 {C'apvcKiH auiDiKiii and C. baccdtidn) are grown in most cottage gardens. 

 A few ornamental species iire also wortliy of notice, the white and 

 purple Petunias being e.^pecial favourites : the Brugmansia (7^ 



