Polygala.] POLYGALE^E. 35 



seeds with a compact, rough coat, not chaffy. Br. Fl. 1. p. 148. 

 E. Fl. v. ii. p. 123. E. Bot. t. 868. 



Bogs and moist heathy grounds in many parts of Ireland, not un- 

 common ; more frequent in the southern and western counties. All 

 the three species are found in an elevated bog on a mountain near Flo- 

 rence court, County of Fermanagh. Fl. July. !{.. Well distin- 

 guished from the following by its rough, and not loose, coat to the 

 seeds. Styles often eight. Stigmas deeply cloven. 



3. D. anglica, Huds. Great Sun-dew. Leaves radical, linear- 

 spathulate, erect, on very long, glabrous petioles ; seeds with a 

 loose chaffy coat. Hook. Br. Fl. 1. p. 149. E. Fl. v. ii. p. 

 123. E. Bot. t. 369. 



Bogs in the southern, western, and northern counties, frequent. Fl. 

 July, Aug. l. This has much larger and longer leaves than the last; 

 and, as Dr. Hooker remarks, would better deserve the name of longi- 

 folia. It has been thought by some botanists to be only a variety of 

 that species. " Now, however, that Mr. Wilson has'observed the true 

 nature of its seed, an important and invariable character is established. 

 Here the seed, as in Pyrola and Orchis, and in D. rotundifolia, has 

 a very loose, articulated, even coat. In D. longifolia the coat firmly 

 adheres to the rest of the seed, and is rough or papillose." Hooker. 

 " Embryo at the lower end of the seed, dicotyledonous." Wilson. 



ORD. 10. POLYGALE./E. Juss. Milk- wort Family. 



Sepals 5, with an imbricated aestivation, 2 interior ones often 

 petaliform, 3 exterior smaller, of which the two anterior are 

 sometimes combined, and the third is posterior. Petals 3 4, 

 more or less connected by means of the stamina! tube. Fila- 

 ments of the stamens combined with the petals, monadelphous, 

 but divided into two equal portions : anthers 8, 1 -celled, open- 

 ing by a pore at the extremity : ovary 1, distinct, 2-rarely 1 3- 

 celled ; style 1, incurved : stigma funnel-shaped or two-lobed. 

 Fruit capsular or drupaceous, 2-or 1-celled, the valves bearing 

 the dissepiments. Seeds solitary in each cell, pendulous, often 

 carunculated, sometimes hairy or comate. Embryo straight, in 

 the axis of a fleshy albumen ; the latter sometimes wanting. 

 Herbs or shrubs. Leaves mostly alternate, entire. Flowers race- 

 mose. 



1. POLYGALA. Linn. Milk- wort. 



Calyx of 5 sepals, two of them wing-shaped and coloured. 

 Petals combined by their claws with the filaments, the lower 

 one keeled. Capsules compressed. Seeds downy, crested at 

 the hilum. Name, iro\v, much, and ^a\a, milk ; from some 

 fancied property in the plant. Diadelphia. Octandria. 



1. P. vulgaris, Linn. Common Milk-wort. Keel crested; 

 flowers in a terminal raceme ; bracteas three to each pedicel ; 



