2 ENGLISH BOTANY. 



the apex, especially on the side next the axis. Stamens 10 to 40, 

 inserted within the opening of the disk. Carpels sessile or stipitate, 



3 or 4 united into a 1-celled capsule open (before the seeds are 

 ripe) at the apex, where tliere are as many teeth or lobes as there 

 are carpels. Seeds numerous, kidney-shaped or obovate. 



Erect or decumbent herbs, generally glabrous, with small race- 

 mose flowers having a single bract at the base of their pedicels. 



The name of tins genus of plants comes from the Latin word resedo. I appease, I 

 quiet; from the notion that some of the species had this efl'ect when medicinally applied. 



SPECIES I.— RESEDA LUTEA. Linn. 



Plate CLXII. 



Eekh Ic. Fl. Germ, et Helv. Vol. II. Tetr. Tab. C. Fig. 4446. 



Stem with many ascending flexuous branches (rarely nearly 

 simple and erect). Leaves entire at the base, divided about the 

 middle into 3 narrow entire or pinnatifid lobes. Flowers in rather 

 short and dense conical racemes. Pedicels spreading, longer than 

 the divisions of the calyx, which are 6 in number, and scarcely 

 enlarge after flowering. Petals 6, with roundish claws, the two 

 upper ones 3-cleft, the two lateral ones 2-cleft or rarely 3-cleft, the 

 two lower linear-entire. Capsule oblong-ovoid, narrowed below, 

 3-sided, papillose, with 3 teeth at the summit. 



Waste places. Common in England, particularly on calcareous 

 soils. Pare in Scotland, where it appears to be confined to the east 

 coast, and not extending north of Forfarshire as a true native. 



England, Scotland, Ireland. Biennial or Perennial. Summer. 



Root a long tapering tap-root. Central stem erect, 15 to 30 

 inches high, solid, with raised lines, generally dilfusely branched ; 

 lateral stems and branches arched at the base and ascending. 

 Ptadical leaves in a rosette, soon decaying ; stem leaves very 

 numerous ; all very variable in their mode of division, but com- 

 monly resembling a narrow" strap-shaped leaf with 2 lobes of about 

 the same breadth proceeding from about half way between the 

 hase and the apex, diverging at an acute angle from the main 

 portion of the lamina, which they scarcely equal in lengtli ; from 

 these lobes other smaller ones are frequently given olT in an 

 irregular manner, and all the lol)cs are undulated or rather crimped 

 at the margins. Paccmes shortly stalked, compact while in flower, 

 lax in fruit ; pedicels papillose, erect in fruit. Flowers pale sulphur- 

 yellow, about y inch across. Calyx segments linear-strapshapcd, 

 the upper ones smaller than the others. Upper pair of petals witli 



