Po lyga lecz Po lyga la. 6 1 



OEDEE XV.-POLYGALE^!. 



Herbs or undershrubs, often climbing or trailing. Leaves 

 alternate, rarely opposite, exstipulate, simple, and usually 

 entire. Flowers hermaphrodite, irregular, solitary, spicate or 

 racemose. Sepals 5, free, imbricated, the two innermost larger, 

 petaloid. Petals 3 or 5, hypogynous ; the 2 outer free, or 

 united with the hooded lower one forming a tube split at the 

 posterior base, the 2 inner equal or smaller or absent. Stamens 

 8; filaments connate in a tube, and united with the petals 

 below. Capsule 2-celled, compressed, dehiscing loculicidally. 

 Seeds pendulous, hairy or glabrous, often strophiolate, with or 

 without albumen. 



1. POLtGALA. 



The character as above. A genus of nearly 200 species, dis- 

 persed nearly all over the world. The hardy species are not 

 numerous, and by no means so showy as many of the tenderer 

 kinds from the Cape of (rood Hope. Name from TroXu^much, 

 and 7a\a, milk. This is variously explained. 



1. P. vulgaris. Common Milkwort. An indigenous and 

 very variable species according to soil and situation. Under 

 cultivation the numerous slender prostrate or erect stems usually 

 grow about a foot long. Leaves small, oblong or lanceolate, 

 glabrous. Flowers about 4 to 6 lines long, in terminal racemes, 

 blue, lilac, purple, pink, or white. 



2. P. Chamcebuxus. A larger handsomer shrubby plant. 

 Leaves small, ovate, coriaceous, persistent. Flowers fragrant, 

 yellow and cream. A native of Switzerland and Austria. May 

 to July. 



OEDEE XVI. PRANKENIACE^I. 



A small group of erect or trailing littoral and desert plants 

 with very small opposite leaves and small flowers. They differ 

 technically from the gamosepalous Caryophyllece in having 

 parietal placentas. 



1. FKANKENIA. 



The only genus of the family, consisting of about twelve 

 species. Named in honour of a Swedish botanist. 



