GENUS ii. 



PRIMROSE FAMILY. 



I. Centunculus minimus L. Chaffweed. False 

 Pimpernel. Fig. 3301. 



Centunculus minimus L. Sp. PI. 116. 1753. 



Simple or branched, very slender, i'-6' high. Leaves 

 spatulate, obovate or oblong, short-petioled, obtuse or acutish, 

 2"-4" long, i"-2" wide; flowers sessile or very nearly so in 

 the axils, shorter than the leaves, mostly 4-parted, i"-2" 

 broad; calyx-lobes linear or linear-lanceolate, acuminate; 

 corolla pink; capsule shorter than the calyx. 



In moist soil, Illinois and Minnesota to British Columbia, south 

 to Florida, Texas and Mexico. Also in Europe and South America. 

 Bastard pimpernel. April-Sept. 



12. DODECATHEON L. Sp. PI. 144. 1753. 



Glabrous scapose perennial herbs, with entire or repand 

 basal leaves. Flowers large or middle-sized in involucrate um- 

 bels terminating scapes. Calyx deeply 5-lobed, persistent, the 

 lobes at first reflexed. Corolla S-parted, the lobes reflexed, slightly unequal, imbricated, the 

 tube very short, thickened at the throat. Stamens 5, inserted on the throat of the corolla; 

 filaments short, flat, monadelphous, connivent into a cone, exserted ; anthers linear or lanceo- 

 late, connivent, attached by their bases to the filaments. Ovary ovoid or subglobose, superior; 

 ovules numerous, amphitropous; style filiform, exserted; stigma simple. Capsule oblong or 

 cylindric, erect, S-6-valved at the apex or splitting to the base. Seeds numerous, minute ; the 

 testa punctate. [Greek, twelve gods; name used by Theophrastus for some different plant.] 

 About 30 species, natives of North America and northeastern Asia. Besides the following 

 typical one, some 20 others occur in western and northwestern North America. 



i. Dodecatheon Meadia L. Shooting Star. American Cowslip. Fig. 3302. 



Dodecatheon Meadia L. Sp. PI. 144. 1753. 

 Dodecatheon Meadia Frenchii Vasey ; Wats. & Coult. in 



A. Gray, Man. Ed. 6, 735 b. 1891. 



Perennial by a stout rootstock ; roots fibrous ; scape 

 erect, 8'-2 high. Leaves oblong to ovate or oblanceo- 

 late, obtuse or obtusish at the apex, narrowed into 

 margined petioles or subcordate, entire or toothed, 

 3 '-1 2' long, '-4' wide; flowers few, several or numer- 

 ous in the umbels, o/'-is" long;. bracts of the invo- 

 lucre lanceolate or linear, acute; pedicels recurved in 

 flower, erect in fruit, unequal, the outer ones some- 

 times 4' long; calyx-lobes triangular-lanceolate, acute; 

 corolla purple, pink or white; anthers 3"-4" long; 

 capsule narrowly ovoid, erect, 5-valved above, 6"-8" 

 high, much longer than the calyx. 



On moist cliffs and prairies, Pennsylvania to Mani- 

 toba, south to Georgia and Texas. Indian-chief. Rooster- 

 heads. Johnny-jump. Pride-of-Ohio. April May. 



Dodecatheon brachycarpa Small, with an ovoid cap- 

 sule 5" long, scarcely longer than the calyx, inhabits the 

 Southern States and is erroneously recorded north to 

 Maryland and Missouri. 



Dodecatheon Hugeri Small, with anthers prominently 

 auricled at base, ranges north into Maryland. 



Family 8. PLUMBAGINACEAE Lindl. Nat. Syst. Ed. 2, 269. 1836. 



PLUMBAGO FAMILY. 



Perennial mostly acaulescent erect herbs, with basal tufted leaves (stem often 

 climbing and leafy in Plumbago}, and small perfect regular clustered flowers. 

 Calyx inferior, gamosepalous, tubular or funnelform, 5-toothed, plaited at the 

 sinuses, the tube 5-i5-ribbed. Corolla of 5 hypogynous clawed segments, 

 connate at the base or united into a tube, convolute or imbricated in the bud. 

 Stamens 5, opposite the corolla-segments, hypogynous; filaments separate, or 

 united at the base ; anthers 2-celled, attached by their backs to the filaments, the 

 sacs longitudinally dehiscent. Disk none. Ovary superior, i-celled; ovule soli- 

 tary, anatropous, pendulous, the long funiculus arising from the base of the cavity ; 

 styles mostly 5, separate or united. Fruit a utricle or achene, enclosed by the 



