Epilobium.] XXVII. ONAGRACE^l. 149 



XXVII. ONAGRACEJE. THE (ENOTHERA FAMILY. 



Herbs, or, in some exotic genera, shrubs, with the leaves, 

 especially in the lower ones, frequently opposite, almost always 

 undivided (except when immersed in water), and toothed, 

 without stipules. Flowers in terminal spikes or racemes, or 

 the lower ones solitary in the axils of the leaves. Calyx-tube 

 adhering to the ovary, sometimes prolonged considerably above 

 it; the limb of 4 or sometimes 2 lobes, not overlapping each 

 other in the bud. Petals as many, inserted on the calyx below 

 its lobes, or occasionally wanting. Stamens 8, 4, or 2, inserted 

 with the petals. Styles simple or divided at the top into 2 or 

 4 stigmas. Ovary inferior, of 2 or 4 cells, in all British genera. 

 Fruit various, capsular in the British genera. Seeds usually 

 small, without albumen. 



A considerable Order, ranging over the whole world, but in the 

 greatest variety in North America. It is readily known amongst Euro- 

 pean Calyciflores with an inferior syncarpous ovary, by the parts of the 

 flower being all in twos or in fours. The small-flowered genera with 

 sessile stigmas, included in the Order in the first edition of this work, 

 are now separated under the name of Haloragece. 



Stamens 8. Petals 4. 

 Flowers purplish-red, pink, or white. Capsule long. Seeds 



with a tuft of hairs 1. EPILOBIUM. 



Flowers large, yellow. Capsule short. Seeds without hairs . 2. (ENOTHBRA. 



Stamens 4. Petals small or none. Capsule short Seeds with- 

 out hairs 3. LUDWIGIA. 



Stamens 2. Petals 2, cleft Capsule small, hispid. Seeds 1 or 2 . 4. CIRCJEA. 



The North American Clarkias, Zauschneria, and Gaura, of our flower- 

 gardens, and the South American Fuchsias of our plant-houses, all 

 belong to the (Enothera family. 



I. EPILOBIUM. EPILOBE. 



Herbs, mostly erect, with annual flowering stems, either with a 

 creeping perennial rootstock, or, in the small- flowered species, becom- 

 ing perennial by means of scions or offsets formed in autumn at the 

 base of the decaying stem. Leaves opposite, or irregularly scattered. 

 Flowers pink or red, rarely white. Limb of the calyx 4- cleft. Petals 

 4. Stamens 8. Ovary and capsule long and narrow, 4 -celled. Style 

 distinct, with a club-shaped or 4-lobed stigma. Seeds numerous, 

 bearing a tuft of long hairs. 



The genus is diffused over nearly the whole of the globe, from the ex- 

 treme Arctic regions of both hemispheres to the tropics. The numerous 

 forms the species assume in every variety of climate [together with the 

 frequent hybrids], make it exceedingly difficult to define them upon 

 any certain principle, and botanists seldom agree as to the number 

 they should admit. Those here adopted are the most marked among 

 our British forms ; but in some instances intermediates are to be met 

 with which will be found very puzzling. In all cases the style must be 



