250 SYSTEMATIC BOTANY 



Many species flower in the early spring, and are common 

 on the mountains. Rosette-forming species are frequent, 

 Alpine forms like Androsace form compact cushions, and 

 the little Soldanellas send up their flowers through the 

 snow. Many grow in wet places, e. g. Brook- weed, Loose- 

 strife (Lysimachia) , Creeping Jenny (L. Nummularia), and 

 the Bog Pimpernel (Anagallis tenella), which occurs in 

 peaty bogs. The Water Violet is an aquatic plant with 

 finely divided leaves which hibernates by means of winter 

 buds. The Scarlet Pimpernel (A. arvensis) is a cornfield 

 weed, and the Sea Milkwort occurs in salt-marshes. The 

 Chickweed Wintergreen (Trientalis) grows in heaths and 

 upland heathy woods. 



Order Boraginaceae. Mostly herbs with alternate 

 exstipulate leaves ; usually rough with hairs. Flowers 

 often showy in single or double scorpioid cymes 

 which are coiled when in bud ; the flowers as they 

 open all face the same way (Fig. 170, 1). Calyx five- 

 lobed. Corolla regular, hypogynous, tubular, lobes 

 five, often spreading ; throat more or less closed by 

 projecting scales or hairs. Stamens five, epipetalous. 

 Pistil of two carpels, style gynobasic (Fig. 170, 2). 

 Fruit four one-seeded nutlets (Fig. 171). 



The more familiar species are : Forget-me-nots (Myosotis spp.), 

 Comfrey {Symphytum officinale), Borage (Borago officinalis), 

 Evergreen Alkanet (Anchusa sempervirens) , Hound's-tongue 

 (Cynoglossum officinale), Lungwort (Pulmonaria officinalis), 

 Viper's Bugloss (Echium vulgare). 



The flowers of most species show interesting colour- 

 changes during their development, as suggested by the 

 name of one of the Forget-me-nots (Myosotis versicolor), 

 which is at first yellow and then blue and violet. Others 

 are white, then change through red to blue, while the 

 Lungwort and Viper's Bugloss are red when young, changing 



