142 ENGLISH BOTANY. 



GENUS IV.— T RIENTALIS. Linn. 



Calyx 5- to T-jDartite, free from the ovary. Corolla deciduous, 

 rotate, slightly concave, without auy tube, 5- to 7-partito. Stamens 

 5 to 7. Capsule globular, slightly fleshy, opening at the apex by 

 5 valves, which are at length deciduous. Seeds few, amphitropous. 



Herbs with slender rootstocks and erect stems. Lower leaves 

 alternate, few, the upper ones larger and ari-anged in a terminal 

 rosette. Peduncles terminal, 1-flowered; flowers erect, white. 



The origin of the name of this genus of plants seems to be very doubtful. It has 

 undoubtotUy something to do with the number three, but all ^vi-iters are so indefinite 

 as to its origin that we do not venture to fix its derivation. 



SPECIES I.— T RIENTALIS EUROPE A. Unn. 



Plate MCXXXIX. 



Itekli. Ic. Fl. Germ, et Helv. Vol. XVII. Tab. MLXXXIII. Fig. 1. 

 Billot, Fl. Gall, et Germ. Exsicc. No. 439. 



Leaves elliptical-oblanceolate or elliptical-obovate, nearly entire. 

 Calyx segments ILnear-strapshaped, acute. 



In fir woods, and on heaths, in hilly districts. Rather rare. In Eng- 

 land confined to the northern counties, from York and north Lancasliire. 

 Generally distributed in Scotland, though apparently absent from 

 the south-western counties, and also from Caithness, Sutherland, and 

 Orkney, though it reappears in Shetland. 



England, Scotland. Perennial. Summer. 



Rootstock very slender, creeping, white, with an enlargement at the 

 ]ioint from which the flowering stem is sent up; the latter wir}', 3 to 

 \) inches high, leafless or with 1 or 2 minute leaves towards the base, 

 terminating in an irregular rosette of spreading leaves. Leaves 1 to 

 3 inches long, varj'ing much in breadth, but usually attenuated more 

 towards the base than the, apex; they are slightly convex above, 

 smooth, glabrous, and shining, often tinged with purplish red late in 

 the year, the lower ones generally obtuse, and those of the rosette 

 acute. Peduncles filiform, j^i'oduced from the axils of the leaves, 

 rarely more than 2 or 3 on each stem. Flowers erect. Calyx divided 

 nearly to the base into 6 or 7 (rarely 8 or 9) slender spreading seg- 

 ments. Corolla saucershaped-rotate, with as many segments as there 

 are divisions in the calyx, pure white, about ;| inch across. Capside 

 about tlie size of a sweet pea seed, the valves soon foiling ofi', and having 

 the seeds attached to the central placenta. Seeds minute, irregularly 

 hexagonal, depressed, greyish white, thickly and deeply punctate. 



Duckweed Winter-green. 



Frcucli, Ti-icidulc tVEdvoj^ic. German, EuroimUcltci- Lu-lcnstem. 



