250 LYSIMACHIA. L^-Ass v. ounKR i. 



«S'%»na obtuse. CapttZes similar to the last, but smaller; its pedicle 

 recurved or twisted. 



Habitat.— Damp, mossy, or boggy situatious; not unfrequent in 

 England and Ireland; less common in Scotland. 



Perennial ; flowering in July and August. 



This elegant little plant, growing in thick tufts, is cultivated with 

 great ease either in situations in pleasure grounds similar to its native 

 habitat, or in pots in a cool place in the greenhouse, where, with a 

 sufficient supply of moisture, it flowers abundantly, and is extremely 

 pretty, hanging over its slender branches of pale green leaves and deli- 

 cate flowers. The hairs of the stamens are very beautiful and curious 

 in their structure ; when viewed with a strong magnifying power, each 

 appears a string of minute delicate transparent beads; and the manner 

 in which the capsules burst open for the escape of the seeds is 

 also remarkable. 



GENUS XV. LYSIMA'CHIA.— Linn. Loosestrife. 



Nat. Ord. Pbimula'ce^. Vent. 



Gen. Char. Calyx five parted. Corolla wheel-shaped, five lobed. 

 Stamens scarcely hairy, inserted into the base of the corolla. 

 Capsule globose, opening with five valves. — Named in honour of 

 King Lysimachus, who, it is said, first discovered it. 



* 2. L. vulga'ris, Linn. (Fig. 332.) Great Yellow Loosestrife. Stem 

 erect, leaves ovate lanceolate, two, three, or four in a uhorl, panicle, 

 terminal, many flowered. 



English Botany, t. 761. — English Flora, vol, i. p. 278. — Hooker, 

 British Flora, vol. i. p. 109. — Lindley, Synopsis, p. 184. 



Roots with spreading underground stems. Stems erect, from two to 

 three feet high, leafy, angular, simple or branched, more or less downy. 

 Leaves ovate lanceolate, on short footstalks, with a strong mid-rib, and 

 numerous lateral branched veins, mostly downy, paler on the underside, 

 the upper frequently scattered over with small glands. Inflorescence a 

 terminal whorled panicle of numerous yellow flowers, its branches 

 downy, each pair subtended by two small floral leaves. Flowers on 

 short pedicles, with an awl-shaped bractea. Calyx downy, in five 

 deep lanceolate segments, the edges pink, glandular, and finely fringed. 

 Corolla large, of five ovate, acute, spreading lobes. The tube very 

 short. Stamens shorter than the corolla. Filaments somewhat downy, 

 dilated and united at the base, inserted around the orifice of the tube 

 of the corolla. Pistil longer than the stamens. Stigma obtuse. 

 Capsule globose, opening with five valves. Seeds ovate. 



