156 A GUIDE TO THE WILD FLOWERS 



465. Flowers yellow. (Nos. 466-482). 



Leaves very small and densely crowded. . .False Heather no. 480 

 Leaves normal, if small, not densely crowded 



Sepals separate ; leaves usually black dotted 



St. John's- Wort no. 472 



Sepals united; leaves usually not dotted (sometimes slightly 

 so in no. 468) Primrose Family no. 466 



466. PRIMROSE FAMILY. PRIMULACEAE. 



Herbs, with opposite toothless leaves, or with leaves in 

 fours. Flowers all yellow in the following, the sepals more 

 or less united. Petals apparently separate, but actually united 

 into a minute tube at the base. Fruit a single-celled capsule. 

 These yellow flowered species are distinguished thus : 



Leaves in fours Crosswort no. 467 



Leaves opposite 



Plant prostrate ; leaves roundish Moneywort no. 468 



Plants more or less erect ; leaves pointed 

 Flowers in terminal pointed clusters. .Swamp Candles no. 469 

 Flowers solitary, from among the upper leaves, or in clusters ; 

 not terminal 



Flowers about ^ in. wide, few 



Fringed Loosestrife no. 470 



Flowers about 54 i"- wide, in dense, finger-shaped clusters 



Tufted Loosestrife no. 471 



For related plants of this family see nos. 449, 527, 649, 691, 801, 

 and 947- 



467. Crosswort Lysimachia quadrifolia. A common woods 

 or thicket plant, with lance-shaped almost stalkless leaves 

 conspicuously in fours. Flowers ys in. wide, yellow, solitary 

 on slender stalks arising at the leaf -joints. Fruit a rounded 

 capsule. New Brunswick to Georgia, and westward. July. 

 Fig. 467. 



468. Moneywort. Lysimachia Nummidaria. A vine-like per- 

 ennial, usually prostrate, with opposite, stalked, roundish 

 leaves and one or two yellow flowers from each leaf inser- 

 tion. Leaves about % in. wide, on stalks about as long as 

 the leaves, or a little longer. Moist places. Newfoundland to 

 Virginia, and westward. Native of Europe, but often appear- 

 ing wild. July. Fig. 468. 



