CLASS XIV. ORDER H.] MMOSELLA. 853 



Shenstone's schoolmistress is made lo say in praise of Euphrasia — 

 " Fam'd Euphrasy may not be left unsung, 

 That gives dim eyes to wander leagues around." 

 It is still used by the country people for affections of the eyes, but 

 has lost its high famed virtues. In Scotland it is said to be infused iu 

 milk, and applied to the eyes with a feather. 



GENUS XXVIII. LIMOSELLA Linn. Mudwort. 



Nat Ord. ScROPUULVBiA'CEiE. Lind. 



Gen. Char. Calyx fivg-cleft, equal. Corolla campanulated, five- 

 cleft, equal, Stamens nearly equal, with the cells of the anthers 

 united. Stigma capitate. Capsule globose, one celled, with a 

 central placenta. — Name from Limus, on account of the plant 

 growing in muddy places. 

 1. L. aqtia'lica, Linn. (Fig. 986.) Common Mudwort. Leaves 

 lanceolate, spatulate ; flower solitary, pedunculated. 



English Botany, t. 357. — English Flora, vol. iii. p. 145. — Hooker, 

 British Flora, ed. 4. vol. i. p. 240. — Lindley, Synopsis, p. 192. 



j3. caidescens, Koch. Scape one to two inches high, many flowered. 

 Ro»t fibrous, mostly putting out several round running creepers, 

 from one to two inches long, which put out roots, and form new plants. 

 Leaves small, lanceolate, or spatulate, on long slender footstalks, from 

 one to two inches long or more, smooth, as is the whole plant. 

 Flowers solitary, on a slender round pedicle, about an inch long, or 

 several terminating a scape, which arises from the pale membranous 

 base, of one or two short leaves. Calyx campanulate, deeply five-cleft, 

 smooth. Corolla with a cylindrical tube, as long as the calyx, swollen 

 upwards, the limb pink, spreading, cut into five acute segments, nearly 

 equal. Stamens with awl-shaped filaments, arising from the mouth of 

 the tube. Anthers roundish, of two lobes. Style short. Stigma 

 obtuse. Capsule ovate, almost globose, smooth, slightly furrowed, two 

 ?alved, one celled. Seeds numerous, small, brown, transversely 

 wrinkled, attached to a central placenta. 



Habitat. — Muddy places in various parts of England, Scotland, and 

 Ireland. 



Annual ; flowering in July and August. 



A small herbaceous plant, often overlooked on account of its size 

 and insigniticani appearance. The variety /3. appears to be an erect 

 luxuriant creeper, which finds sufiicient support from the parent plant 

 to nourish its cluster of flowers and leaves, and consequently it has not 

 sought more by putting out additional roots. 



5 s 



