SPECIES AND VARIETIES. 287 



(202) Cuscnta. DODDER. 



* Corolla tube with inconspicuous oppressed scales. 

 C. europsea : annual leafless parasite ; plant pale greenish- 

 yellow, sometimes reddish ; flowers in sessile, globular clus- 

 ters ; the corolla tube at first broadly cylindrical, longer than 

 the calyx, with broad short lobes, and very minute, scarcely 

 perceptible scales inside. Parasitic, chiefly on herbaceous 

 stems. Fl. August. 



** Corolla tube with prominent scales, nearly closing the orifice. 

 C. Epithymum: annual leafless parasite ; stems red, 

 thread-like, much finer than in the last ; flower-heads small, 

 globular, very compact ; the corolla tube cylindrical, with 

 pointed, spreading lobes, the scales prominent, almost closing 

 the tube. Parasitic on small shrubs, chiefly thyme, heath, 

 etc. Fl. July, August. 



(203) Polemonium. 



P. coeruleum: root leaves pinnate, forming dense tufts, and 

 made up of 11-21 lanceolate, entire leaflets; stems erect, l|-2 

 feet high, bearing a few small pinnate leaves; flowers in a 

 showy terminal corymbose panicle, blue or white. Jacob's 

 Ladder or Greek Valerian. Bushy, hilly places. Fl. July. 



(204) Erythrsea. CENTAUHY. 



E. Centaurium : annual; stems erect, from 2-12 inches 

 high, branched in the upper part ; leaves broadly ovate, form- 

 ing a spreading radical tuft, the upper ones in distant pairs, 

 ovate-oblong or narro \v-linear ; flowers pink, usually numerous, 

 in a terminal, repeatedly-forked cyme or panicle, the corolla 



