274 GENTIANE&. [Limnantheum. 



Flowers 1 in. diara., subumbellate, opening one at a time. Sepals linear- 

 oblong, obtuse. Corolla bright yellow ; lobes erose or fimbriate. Fruit 

 flagon-shaped, green. Seeds few, compressed, winged, ciliate.— Distrib. 

 From Denmark southd., N. and W. Asia, N.W. India. 



Order L. POLEMONlA'CEiE. 



Annual or perennial herbs (rarely shrubs). Leaves alternate, or the 

 lower opposite, entire or divided, exstipulate. Flowers in terminal di- 

 chotomous cymes, usually blue or white. Calyx inferior, 5-lobed, im- 

 bricate in bud. Corolla subperigynous, regular or nearly so, 5-partite ; 

 lobes contorted in bud. Stamens 5, inserted on the corolla-tube, usually 

 unequal ; anthers 2-celled ; pollen subglobose, reticulate. Disk fleshy. 

 Ovary 3-celled ; style simple, stigmas 3 linear revolute ; ovules 1 or more, 

 attached to the inner angle of each cell, amphitropous. Capsule 3-celled, 

 loculicidally 3-valved ; valves separating from the persistent axis ; cells 1- 

 or many-seeded. Seeds angled or plano-convex, testa spongy sometimes 

 winged, hilum ventral, albumen fleshy ; embryo axile, cotyledons sub- 

 foliaceous. — Distrib. Chiefly Arctic and temp., especially W. American ; 

 genera 8 ; species about 150. — Affinities. With Convolvulacece. — 

 Properties unimportant 



1. polemo'nium, L. Jacob's Ladder. 



Perennial herbs. Leaves alternate, pinnate. Flowers corymbose, usually 

 ebracteate. Calyx campanulate, 5-lobed. Corolla rotate ; lobes 5, obovate. 

 Stamens decimate, inserted on the corolla- throat, filaments dilated and 

 hairy at the base. Disk cup-shaped, crenate. Ovary ovoid ; style filiform, 

 stigma 3-fid ; ovules many in each cell, 2-seriate. Capsule ovoid, 3-celled, 

 many-seeded, loculicidally 3-valved. Seeds ovoid, angled, with a short 

 wing or 0, testa thick, abounding in spiral vessels. Distrib. N. temp, 

 and Arctic regions ; species about 8. — Etym. obscure. 



P. csern'leiim, L. ; leaflets 6-12 pairs subsessile. Greek Valerian. 

 Copses and streams, apparently indigenous from Stafford and Derby to the 

 Cheviots, doubtfully elsewhere ; an escape in Scotland and Ireland ; fl. 

 June-July.— Rootstock short, creeping. Stems 1-3 ft., glabrous or pubes- 

 cent and glandular above, angular, f.stular, leafy. Leaves 4-18 in. ; petiole 

 very slender, winged; leaflets f^l§ in., quite entire, ovate or oblong- 

 lanceolate, acute. Flowers many, drooping, §-1 in. diam., blue or white, 

 proterandrous. Calyx campanulate ; lobes oblong, acute. Corolla-lobes 

 spreading, subacute. Capsule erect, included in the calyx. Seeds com- 

 pressed, angular ; testa ribbed and rugose, shortly winged. — Distrib. 

 Europe (Arctic), N. of Alps to Russia, N. Asia, N.W. Himalaya, N. America. 



