226 Rubiacecz Asperula. 



in terminal heads. Bracts of the involucre shorter than the 

 flowers. A native of the Caucasus. 



2. CRUCIAN^LLA. 



Hispid herbs remarkable for the long slender tube of the 

 funnel-shaped corolla. The name is a diminutive of crux, a 

 cross, from the disposition of the leaves. 



1. G. stylosa. A very pretty plant in an otherwise unin- 

 teresting genus. A dwarf tufted perennial with slender 

 straggling stems and whorls of linear acute hispid leaves. 

 Flowers rosy pink, in terminal compact cymes, produced all 

 the Summer. The style is conspicuously exserted beyond the 

 corolla, hence the specific name. Persia. 



Houstonia cceriilea, a North American plant of similar ap- 

 pearance, but belonging to another tribe, with opposite leaves 

 and a several-seeded capsule, has lilac-blue flowers, and being 

 of very diminutive growth is well adapted for rock-work. 

 Mitchella repens is another North American plant, of creeping 

 habit, having oval persistent leaves, white flowers, and red 

 berries. Some other species of the Cinchonacece are occa- 

 sionally seen in the border, but none are perfectly hardy. 

 Bouvardia triphylla is one of the best suited for this purpose. 



ORDER LIX. VALEBIANACE-ZE. 



Herbs with opposite entire or pinnatifid leaves and small 

 flowers in dichotomous cymes. Calyx superior, limb lobed or 

 feathery. Corolla funnel-shaped, tube often spurred at the base ; 

 lobes 3 to 5, unequal. Stamens 1 to 5; filaments free, slender, 

 exserted. Fruit indehiscent, coriaceous or membranous, with 

 one pendulous seed, and often two empty cells. About twelve 

 genera, and nearly 200 species occur in temperate countries. 

 Valeriana officinalis, a tall plant with pinnate leaves and pink 

 flowers having three stamens, is a common English plant. V. 

 montana and V. diowa are dwarf species with pink flowers and 

 entire or pinnatifid leaves. 



1. CENTRlNTHUS 



Perennial herbs. Leaves entire. Calyx - limb feathery. 

 Corolla - tube slender, flattened longitudinally, divided and 

 spurred at the base. Stamen 1. Fruit membranous. There 

 are ten species, in the north temperate regions of the Old 

 World. Named from Ksvrpov., a spur, and avfos, a flower. 



