142 ENGLISH BOTANY. 



A remarkable state or monstrosity named Peloria (Plate 

 DCCCCLXXIL), occasionally occurs with a regular corolla, con- 

 tracted at the throat, and with a spreading regular 5-lobcd limb, 

 within which there is a funnel-shaped opening, and with 5 spurs 

 at the base ; more often, however, intermediate states with only 

 3 spurs are to be found. The same thing is common in L. purpurea, 

 and not unfrequcnt in L. Elatine and L. spuria. 



Var. 3 is a more luxuriant plant ; the Nortlifleet specimens 

 are 3 or 4 feet high, the largest leaves about 3 inches long and 

 nearly 1 inch broad, the bracts larger and foliaceous, the pedicels 

 longer, the flowers nearly 1 inch long, the capsules always abortive ; 

 but in the Isle of Wight plant Dr. Bromfield says they are 

 considerably smaller than those of the common form ; the inflo- 

 rescence bears a striking resemblance to Reichenbach's figure of 

 L. Dalmatica, Miller (a plant with which I am otherwise quite 

 unacquainted) ; but that species has the seeds like those of 

 L. repens and L. purpurea, so that it is quite distinct from 

 L. vulgaris. I have not seen specimens of L. speciosa (Ten.), 

 which Mr. Bentham refers to L. vulgaris. According to Mr. H. C. 

 Watson, the Isle of Wight variety latifolia, under cultivation, 

 reverts to the ordinary form of L. vulgaris, so that it is a state 

 rather than a variety. 



Yellow Toadflax. 



French, Linaire Commune. German, Gcmeiner Frauenflachs. 



All country children know this little plant as " Batter and eggs," from the yellow 

 and orange colour of the flowers. It has some powerful qualities as a purgative and 

 diuretic, and an infusion of the leaves was at one time in great reputation among herb 

 doctors in dropsy ; but, according to Haller and other authorities, it is not to be recom- 

 mended in that complaint. As a lotion in skin diseases, an infusion of the leaves has 

 been highly esteemed. Gerarde tells us that " a decoction of Todeflax taketh away 

 the yellownesse and deiormitie of the skiuue, being washed and bathed therewith." 



HYBRID. 



LINARIA VULGARI-REPENS. 



Plate DCCCCLXV. 

 L. Sepium, Allm. in Proceedings of Royal Irish Academy. 



Intermediate between L. vulgaris and L. repens, differing from 

 L. repens in the flowers being larger, often more or less suffused 

 with yellow, especially on the under lip, and the spur longer and 

 more acute ; the seeds (which I have not seen) are described 

 as having a border or 3 prominent smooth wings. From L. vul- 

 garis it differs in the much smaller flowers more or less striated 



