202 SUB-ALPINE PLANTS 



MONOTROPA L. 



Erect, succulent herbs of a pale brown or yellowish colour, 

 leafless except for small scales the colour of the stem. Are like 

 Broomrape, and parasitical upon the roots of trees. Allied to 

 Pyrola, but easily distinguished by the want of green leaves. 



A very small genus inhabiting woods in Europe, Asia, and 

 America. Sometimes accorded a family to itself. 



Monotropa Hypopitys L. Bird's-nest. 



Stem 6-9 inches high, with oblong or ovate scales instead of 

 leaves. Flowers few, in a short, terminal raceme. Sepals and petals 

 about the same size, ovate or oblong, glabrous or slightly downy 

 inside. The whole plant of a pale yellowish brown, turning black 

 on drying. 



Parasitical upon the roots of trees, especially Beech and Birch, 

 and flowering from June to August. From the plains to 5000 feet. 



Distribution. Europe, except in Arctic regions ; Western and 

 Northern Asia, N. America. British. 



PRIMULACE^E 



Leaves undivided except when under water (as in Hottonia). 

 Calyx usually 5-cleft. Corolla regular, 5-lobed. Stamens inserted 

 opposite the centre of the corolla lobes. Ovary i-celled. Style 

 and stigma undivided. Ovules numerous, with a free central 

 placentation. Fruit and capsule dehiscing by valves or transversely. 



A widely - spread family, many inhabiting mountain regions 

 often at a great elevation. A few appear in the Antarctic regions 

 and even within the tropics. 



AN BROS ACE L. 



Small Alpine herbs, often with small rosettes and dense, elongated 

 tufts of leaves. Flowers white or pink (yellow in A. Vitaliana) in 

 small umbels, within an involucre of bracts, or solitary in the 

 axils of the leaves. Corolla-limb rotate, tube long, suddenly 

 contracted at the mouth, where there are 5 scales. 



High mountain plants, chiefly distributed in Central Europe and 

 Central Asia. 



Androsace Chamcejasme Host. 



Root tapering, tufted, putting up shoots ending in rosettes. 

 Scape 2-4 inches high. Leaves oblanceolate or elliptical, villous 

 at the margin, with long, simple hairs like the rest of the plant. 

 Flowers in umbels surrounded by an involucre. Involucral bracts 

 lanceolate or linear-lanceolate, rather shorter than or equalling 

 the flower-stalks. Corolla white or rose-coloured ; throat yellow. 



