PRIMULACEAE. 



[VOL. II. 



i. Galax aphylla L. Galax. Galaxy. 

 Beetle-weed. (Fig. 2804.) 



Galax aphylla L Sp. PI. 200. 1753. 



Scape i# high, terete, with red scaly bracts at the 

 base and many red fibrous roots. Leaves orbicular, or 

 broadly ovate, deeply cordate at the base with a rather 

 narrow sinus, persistent, creiiate-dentate or doubly den- 

 ticulate with mucronulate or rounded teeth, shining, 

 commonly shorter than their slender petioles, I'-tf in 

 diameter; spike-like raceme dense, narrow, 2'-$' long; 

 flowers i^ // -2 // broad, spreading; bractlets deciduous; 

 capsule ovoid, acute, erect, very short-pedicelled, i" 

 long, slightly exceeding the lanceolate acutish sepals. 



In dry woods, especially in the mountains, Virginia to 

 Georgia. Ascends to 4500 ft. in North Carolina. Leaves 

 bright green, shining. May-July. 

 \ ~' 



Family 7. PRIMULACEAE Vent. Tabl. 2: 285. 1799. 



PRIMROSE FAMILY. 



Herbs, with alternate opposite verticillate or basal leaves, and perfect regular 

 flowers, in terminal or axillary racemes, spikes, umbels or corymbs, or solitary 

 in the axils or at the summit of a scape. Calyx free from the ovary (adnate to 

 its lower part in Samolns), 4~9-parted or cleft (usually 5-parted), persistent or 

 rarely deciduous. Corolla gamopetalous in our species (wanting in r/'/Wv), 

 4~9-lobed or cleft ("usually 5-cleft), rotate, funnelform, salverform or campanu- 

 late, deciduous. Stamens as many as the corolla-lobes and opposite them, 

 hypogynous or rarely perigynous, inserted on the tube or base .of the corolla ; 

 filaments distinct, or connate at the base; anthers introrse, attached by their 

 backs to the filaments, 2-celled, the sacs longitudinally dehiscent. Disk obso- 

 lete, or none. Ovary superior (partly inferior in Santo/US'), i-celled; placenta 

 central, free ; ovules anatropous, or mostly amphitropous ; style i ; stigma 

 simple, capitate, entire. Capsule i-celled, 2-6-valved ; rarely circumscissile 

 or indehiscent, the valves erect or recurved, entire or 2-cleft. Seeds few or 

 several, the testa adherent to the fleshy or horny copious endosperm; embryo 

 small, straight; cotyledons obtuse. 



About 28 genera and 350 species of wide distribution in the northern hemisphere, a few in 

 southern south America and South Africa. 



X- Lobes or segments of the corolla erect or spreading, not reflexed. 

 Lobes of the corolla imbricated, at least in the bud. 

 Ovary wholly superior. 



Terrestrial scapose plants; leaves not pinnatiful. 



Corolla-tube longer than the calyx ; style slender. i. Primula. 



Corolla-tube shorter than the calyx; style short. i. Androsace. 



Aquatic leafy-stemmed plant; leaves finely pinnatind. 3. Holtonia. 



Ovary adnate to the calyx. 4. Samoltts. 



Lobes of the corolla convolute or valvate, at least in the bud; (corolla wanting in no. 9). 

 Capsule longitudinally dehiscent. 



Corolla rotate, or rarely short-funnelform, 

 Stem leafy throughout; flowers yellow. 



Staminodia none; corolla-lobes convolute; flowers axillary or racemed. 



5. Lysimachia. 



Staminodia 5; each corolla-lobe curved around its stamen. 6. Steironema. 



Staminodia 5, tooth-like; flowers in axillary spike-like racemes or heads. 



7. Naiimburgia. 



Leaves whorled at the top of the stem; flowers white. 8. Trientalis. 



Corolla none; flowers minute, solitary in the axils. 9. Glaux. 



Capsule circumscissile; flowers axillary. 



Corolla longer than the calyx; stamens borne on its base. 10. Anagallis. 



Corolla shorter than the calyx; stamens borne on its tube. 11. Cenlunctilus. 



Jt * Segments of the corolla reflexed; plants scapose. 12. Dodecatheon. 



i. PRIMULA L. Sp. PI. 142. 1753. 



Perennial scapose herbs, with basal leaves, and small or large white red purple or yellow 

 dimorphous flowers, umbellate, or in involucrate or bracted racemose whorls at the sum- 

 mit of a scape. Calyx tubular, funnelform or campanulate, persistent, often angled, 

 5-lobed, the lobes imbricated, erect or spreading. Corolla funnelform or salverform, the 

 tube longer than the calyx in our species, the limb 5-cleft, the lobes imbricated * entire, 



