CL. V.] PENTANDRIA MONOGYNIA. 131 



31. ERYTHR^'A. CENTAURY. 



Calyx inferior, permanent, of one leaf, deeply divided into 

 five erect, awl-shaped segments. Corolla of one petal, salver- 

 shaped ; tube nearly cylindrical, slender, longer than the calyx ; 

 limb deeply divided into five egg-shaped or lance-shaped 

 spreading segments. Filaments thread-shaped, equal, much 

 shorter than the corolla ; anthers oblong, twisting spirally. 

 Germen oblong, or nearly linear, compressed. Style cylin- 

 drical, straight ; stigmas two, roundish, finally spreading. 

 Capsule oblong, acute at each end, compressed, imperfectly 

 two-celled, two-valved. Seeds numerous, roundish, arranged 

 in four rows. Name from erythros, red. 116. 



1. E. Centaurium. Common Centaury. Stem nearly simple;' 

 panicle forked, corymbose ; leaves broadly lance- shaped ; calyx 

 half as long as the tube, its segments partly united by a mem- 

 brane. Stem about a foot high, leafy: flowers rose-coloured. 



Annual : flowers in July and August : grows in dry pastures : 

 common. Bitter and stomachic, formerly much used, but now 

 neglected. Eng. Bot. vol. vi. pi. 417. Eng. Fl. vol. i. p. 321. 362. 



2. E. littordlis. Dwarf Tufted, Centaury. Stem generally sim- 

 ple, straight ; leaves between linear and inversely egg-shaped, ob- 

 scurely three-ribbed ; flowers sessile, densely corymbose ; calyx 



as long as the tube, its segments united at the base. Two or 



three inches high, stout : flowers rose-coloured. Annual: flowers 

 in June and July : grows in sandy pastures near the sea : fre- 

 quent. Eng. Sot. vol. xxxiii. pi. 2305. Eng. Fl. vol. i. p. 320. 363. 



3. E. pulchella. Dwarf Branched Centaury. Stem much branched 

 or simple ; leaves egg-shaped ; flowers stalked, solitary ; calyx 

 more than half the length of the tube ; segment of the corolla 



lance-shaped. Stem erect, from one to three inches high: 



flowers from the forks of the stem, as well as terminal, slender, 

 with a pink corolla. Annual : flowers in August and September : 

 grows on sandy ground near the sea : frequent. Eng. Bot. vol. 

 vii. pi. 458. Eng. FL vol. i. p. 323. 364. 



4. E. latifolia. Broad-leaved Centaury. Stem three-cleft at the 

 top ; flowers in dense tufts ; calyx as long as the tube ; segments 



of the corolla lance-shaped. Stem erect, stiff: lower leaves 



broadly elliptical. Annual : flowers in August and September : 

 grows on the sea-shore : rare. Very common in the Outer He- 

 brides, where it is gathered for the purpose of being infused in 

 spirits as a bitter. Eng. Fl. vol. i. p. 321. Eng. Bot. Suppl. pi. 

 2718, but not the ordinary form. 365. 



The four alleged species above described are apparently varieties 

 of the same specific form, dependent upon differences of soil and 

 situation. 



32. SA'MOLUS. BROOK-WEED. 



Calyx inferior, of one leaf; tube hemispherical; margin 

 deeply divided into five equal, permanent segments. Corolla of 

 one petal, funnel-shaped ; tube wide, as long as the calyx ; 

 limb with five deep, obtuse segments, and five small interme- 

 diate scales at the base. Filaments awl-shaped, short, arising 

 from the middle of the tube ; anthers roundish, two-lobed, co- 



