GERANIACE^. 217 



lonjT, slightly decurrcnt upon the petiole, rather obtuse but api- 

 culate at the apex ; teeth rather few, large, apiculate, some of those 

 towards the base often reduced to soft bristles tipped with glands. 

 Peduncles axillary, terminating in a short raceme of about G flowers, 

 of which one or two ha^-e petals, the others have the petals more 

 or less abortive. Pedicels with bracts a little above their junction 

 with the peduncle. Plowers 1^ inch long to the bend of the spur, 

 by Ij inch across the lateral petals, pale yellow, with the inner 

 side of the spurred sepal on the base and the inner margin of the 

 lateral petals dotted with red ; spurred sej^al the shape of an 

 extinguisher, with the mouth oblique, bent over outwards for the 

 last quarter of its length, the extreme tip curved in the contrary 

 way like a shepherd's crook. Capsule 1 to 1^ inch long, irregu- 

 larly prismatic-cylindrical, somewhat beaded, sjDlitting when ripe 

 into 5 valves which coil up spirally. Plant light green, quite 

 glabrous. 



Yellow Balsam. 



French, ImpatierUe-rCy-Touchez-pas, Balsamine Jaune. 

 German, Gemeines Spriiigkraut. 



The common English names of this plant, " Quick-in-the-Hand " and " Touch-me- 

 not," well express its nature and its extreme irritability, which it has in common with 

 the whole of the Balsam tribe of plants. The whole plant is very acrid, and few animals 

 but goats will eat it. Notwithstanding this, it has been administered in medicine. 

 Boerhaave considered it as poisonous. 



SPECIES II.— IMPATIENS FULVA. KuUall 

 Plate CCCXIV. 



Leaves ovate or oval-elliptical, net acuminated at the apex, 

 serrated with rather large unequal very shallow teeth. Stipules 

 none. Peduncles 1- to 4-flowered. Flowers drooping ; the spurred 

 sepal twice as long as broad, conical, suddenly narrowed about 

 one-fourth from the apex, where it becomes cylindrical, and is 

 hooked round with the hook applied to the side of the hood and 

 notched at the apex. 



In moist places by the banks of rivers. An American plant, 

 thoroughly naturalized in Surrey, along the Wey, the Thames, the 

 Tillingbourne, the Mole, and the Basingstoke Canal. 



England. Annual. Summer and Autumn. 



Extremely similar to T. Noli-me-tangere, but the leaves are less 

 deeply serrated, the flowers fewer, orange-coloured with more 

 nvmierous red dots, shorter (about 1 inch long), with the hooded 

 sepal not tapering gradually to the extremity of the spur, but 

 suddenly contracted at the point where it is bent round, -where 



. VOL. II. 2 F 



