§6 THE CETJCIFEB PAMItT. 



and sometimes wanting. Pods numerous, about an inch long, the valves 

 rolling back at maturity, with much elasticity. 



On moist rocks, and in shady waste places, over a great part of Europe 

 and Russian Asia. In Britain, scattered over central and northern 

 England and southern Scotland, but not recorded from Ireland. Fl. 

 summer. 



4. XZairy Bittercress. Cardamine hirsuta, Linn. 

 (Eng. Bot. t. 492.) 



An annual, of a deep green colour, often much branched at the base, with 

 ascending or erect stems, sometimes a foot high, but usually not half so 

 much, with a few scattered hairs, which, however, are often very incon- 

 spicuous. Leaves pinnate, the segments small, those of the lower leaves 

 ovate or rounded, and angularly toothed, the upper ones narrower and more 

 entire. Flowers small and white, the petals seldom twice the length of the 

 very small sepals. Pods in a rather loose raceme, about 6 lines to 1 inch 

 long. 



On moist or shady banks, waste and cultivated places, throughout the 

 temperate regions of the globe. Abundant in Britain. Fl. spring and all 

 summer. It varies much, hke other Bittercresses, in the length and thick- 

 ness of the style ; and in the common small form the stamens are usually 

 reduced to 4. A large luxuriant variety, with 6 stamens, is sometimes dis- 

 tinguished as a species, under the name of C. sylvatica. 



VII. TOOTHCRESS. DENTAEIA. 



Perennials, with a horizontal, fleshy, and toothed or knotted rootstock, and 

 simple stems, with a few rather large pinnate or stalked leaves, and rather 

 large white or purple flowers ; the other characters those of Bittercress, 

 except that the pod is rather broader and tapering at the top, and the httle 

 seedstalks are usually flat and broad. 



A genus of several species, with a somewhat peculiar habit, all confined 

 to the northern hemisphere. 



1. Bulbiferous Toothcress. Dentaria bulbifera, Linn. 



(Eng. Bot. t. 309. Coralroot.) 



Stem weak, 1 to 1^ feet high, bearing several leaves, often with a small 

 ovoid bxilb in then- axil, "the lower ones pinnate, with 5 or 7 segments, the 

 upper ones with fewer segments, or quite undivided ; all the segments lan- 

 ceolate, entire or toothed, tapering at the base, mostly IJ to 2 inches long. 

 Flowers few, rather large. The pod is seldom formed, as the plant usually 

 propagates by the axillary bulbs falling to the ground, and there growing. 



In damp woods, and shady places, chiefly in mountain districts, spread 

 over Continental Europe from Scandinavia and central France to the 

 Caucasus. In Britain, confined to some of the metropohtan counties of 

 England. Fl. spring. 



VIIL HESPERXS. HESPEEIS. 



Coarse, erect herbs, more or less hairy, with toothed leaves, and rather 

 large, purple flowers, resembling those of the Stocks, Calyx erect. Petals 



