266 THE ALPINE FLORA 



7J. montanus and Villarsi are small species with brilliant 

 yellow flowers; the stem of the former is 2-6 in. long, 

 the leaves glabrous, 5-partite; flowers i-3 at the extrem- 

 ities of the branches; the second has a taller and more 

 branched stem, many flowers and carpels with a curved 

 or hooked beak. Cool and shrubby pastures in the Alps 

 and Jura from 1000-2000 m. 



All the three last species are readily cultivated in sound 

 soil and a sunny position. 



Trollius 



Eng.: Globe-flower; Fr.: Trolle or Boule d'Or; 

 Ger.: Trollblume or Rollen. 



T. europzus* (PI. VI). A plant familiar to all wanderers 

 on high ground, frequenting cool and moist meadows 

 over all Switzerland, from the beginning of the mountain 

 zone up to 2000 m. The flower, which never expands, 

 may be compared to a yellow globe; it is delicately scented 

 and composed of a varying number of coloured sepals ; 

 the petals are small, tubular organs, hidden at the base 

 of the stamens, and serving as so many nectareous cells 

 for the attraction of fertilising insects. 



The globe-flower in varied forms and tints is found 

 spread over all the northern hemisphere. It is met in the 

 Caucasus, the Atlas, the Himalaya, in Siberia, Japan, 

 China and America, with little difference of appearance, 

 though known by different names. Ten variants, brought 

 from different mountain ranges, are cultivated at Flor- 

 aire; they have so freely modified by hybridisation, that 

 it is impossible any longer to identify them under the 

 definite species, and one is compelled to think that, cer- 

 tain American types excepted, they are all modifications 

 caused by local influences of one and the same species. 



In the Alps the root of the globe-flower has Jong been 



