PRIMULACE^E. (PRIMROSE FAMILY.) 331 



* * Flowers (small) in a vir gate terminal raceme or in the upper axils; corolla 



dark-dotted or streaked ; filarfients conspicuously monadelphous, unequal. 



1. L. quadrifdlia, L. Somewhat hairy; stem simple (1-2 high); 

 leaves whorled in fours or fives (sometimes in twos, threes, or sixes, rarely only 

 opposite or partly alternate), ovate-lanceolate ; flowers on long capillary pe- 

 duncles from the axils of the leaves; lobes of the corolla ovate-oblong. 

 Moist or sandy soil, N. Brunswick to Minn., and Ga. June. 



2. L. stricta, Ait. Stems 1-2 high, often bearing oblong or moniliform 

 bulblets in the axils ; smooth, at length branched, very leafy ; leaves opposite 

 or rarely alternate, lanceolate, acute at each end ; flowers on slender pedicels 

 in a long raceme (5-12'), leafy at base; lobes of the corolla lance-oblong. 

 Low grounds, Newf . to Minn., Ark., and N. Ga. June - Aug. 



# * * Flowers (rather large) solitary in the axils of ordinary leaves; corolla 



not dark-dotted nor streaked ; filaments slightly monadelphous. 



L. NUMMULARIA, L. (MONEYWORT.) Smooth : stems trailing and creep- 

 ing ; leaves roundish, small, short-petioled ; peduncles axillary, 1 -flowered ; 

 divisions of the corolla broadly ovate, obtuse, longer than the lance-ovate calyx- 

 lobes and stamens. Escaped from gardens into damp ground in some places. 

 July - Sept. ( Nat. from Eu. ) 



2. NAUMBtJRGIA. Corolla very deeply 5- (or 6 - 7-) parted into linear 

 divisions (somewhat purplish-dotted), with a small tooth in each sinus ; fila- 

 ments distinct , equal ; leaves opposite, the lowest scale-like. 



3. L. thyrsiflbra, L. (TUFTED LOOSESTRIFE.) Smooth; stem simple 

 (1-2 high) ; all but the lower leaves lanceolate, the axils of one or two middle 

 pairs bearing short-peduncled head-like or spike-like clusters of small light 

 yellow flowers. Cold swamps, from Penn. to S. 111., Iowa, and northwest- 

 ward. June, July. (Eu.) 



8. GLAtlX, Tourn. SEA-MILKWORT. 



Calyx bell-shaped, 5-cleft ; lobes ovate, petal-like. Corolla wanting. Sta- 

 mens 5, on the base of the calyx, alternate with its lobes. Capsule 5-valved, 

 few-seeded. A low and leafy fleshy perennial, with opposite oblong and entire 

 sessile leaves, and solitary nearly sessile (purplish and white) flowers in their 

 axils. (An ancient Greek name, from y\avK6s, sea-green.) 



1. G. maritima, L. Sea-shore of N. Eng. from Cape Cod northward. 

 Also in subsaline soil, Minn, to Neb., and westward. June. (Eu.) 

 



9. ANAGALLIS, Tourn. PIMPERNEL. 



Calyx 5-parted. Corolla wheel-shaped, with almost no tube, 5-parted, longer 

 than the calyx ; the divisions broad. Stamens 5 ; filaments bearded. Capsule 

 membranaceous, circumscissile, the top falling off like a lid, many-seeded. 

 Low, spreading or procumbent herbs, mostly annuals, with opposite or whorled 

 entire leaves, and solitary flowers on axillary peduncles. (The ancient Greek 

 name, probably from avd, again, and ctyaAAw, to delight in.) 



A. ARVENSIS, L. (COMMON PIMPERNEL.) Leaves ovate, sessile, shorter 

 than the peduncles; petals obovate, obtuse, fringed with minute teeth or 

 stalked glands. Waste sandy fields. June - Aug. Flowers variable in 

 size, scarlet, sometimes purple, blue, or white, quickly closing at the approach 

 of bad weather ; whence the English popular name of " Poor Man's Weather 

 ylass.'' (Nat. from Eu.) 

 15 



