94 THE GERANIUM FAMILY. [Erodium. 



although the petals axe scarcely longer than the calyx. Peduncles often 

 6 or 8 inches long. 



In sandy waste places and heaths, especially near the sea, in western 

 and southern Europe. Abundant in the Channel Islands, found also on 

 the southern and western coasts of England and South Wales ; local in 

 Ireland. Fl. summer. 



3. E. maritimum, L'HeV. (fig. 216). Sea KA. small, softly hairy, 

 often viscid annual, with the same varying habit as E. cicutarium, but 

 easily distinguished by the simple, not pinnate leaves, often not above 

 half an inch long, ovate-cordate, more or less toothed or even lobed, 

 but seldom beyond half-way to the midrib. Peduncles seldom longer 

 than the leaves, with 1 , 2, or rarely more, small, reddish-purple flowers. 

 Beak of the fruit seldom above 6 lines long ; the hairs of the inside of 

 the awn very few, or perhaps sometimes entirely wanting. 



In maritime sands, in western Europe, and on the Mediterranean, 

 where it varies much more than with us, and should probably include 

 several species of modern botanists. Not uncommon on the south and 

 west coasts of England, up to the south of Scotland, all round Ireland. 

 Has been found also in some inland situations in England. Fl. aU 

 summer. 



III. OXALIS. OXALIS. 



Herbs, either annual, or with a tuberous or creeping, perennial root- 

 stock, and, in European species, palmately trifoliate, long-stalked 

 leaves. Flowers solitary, or several in an umbel, on radical or axillary 

 peduncles. Sepals 5. Petals 5. Stamens 10. Ovary angular, not beaked, 

 5-celled, with several ovules in each cell. Styles 5, short, scarcely united 

 at the base. Capsule with 5 angles, opening in as many valves. 



A very numerous genus, widely diffused over the temperate and hotter 

 regions of the globe. A few tropical species have entire or pinnate 

 leaves, and are occasionally undershrubs ; but the great mass of the 

 genus, like the few European species, are remarkable for their leaves, 

 with 3 obovate leaflets like those of a Trifolium. 



Flowers white. Peduncles radical, 1-flowered . . . . 1. 0. Acetosella. 

 Flowers small, yellow. Stem elongated. Peduncles axillary . 2. 0. corniculata. 



Many exotic species, with yellow or reddish flowers, have at various 

 times been cultivated, either in our flower-gardens, or, for their tuber- 

 ous rootstocks, as esculents. 



1. O. Acetosella, Linn. (fig. 217). Wood-sorrel Rootstock shortly 

 creeping, slender, but often knotted with thickened scales. Leaves 

 radical, with long stalks, and 3 obovate, delicately green leaflets, with 

 a slightly acid flavour. Peduncles radical, long and slender, bearing a 

 single, rather large white, rarely pink or purplish flower, and 2 small 

 bracts, about half-way up. Sepals small, ovate, obtuse, thin. Petals 

 obovate, about 6 lines long. Capsule ovoid, with 2 shining black seeds 

 In each cell. 



In woods, throughout Europe, Russian and central Asia, and northern 

 America. Abundant in Britain. Fl. early spring. This is believed to 

 be the original of the Irish Shamrock, although that emblem is now 

 represented by Trifolium repens. 



2. 0. corniculata, Linn. (fig. 218). Procumbent 0. A more or les 



