100 THE OBrCIFER FAMILY. 



base. Radical leaves about half an inch long, and pinnate ; stem-leaves few 

 and smaller, witb fewer and narrower segments. Flowers very minute. 

 Pod oval, rather more than a line long. Radicle of the seeds incumbent on 

 the back of the cotyledons, but very near the edge. 



On limestone rocks, old waUs, and skiuy places, in central and sovithern 

 Europe, from Sweden to the Crimea. Confined, in Britain, to the lime- 

 stone tracts of the west and north of England and Wales. Fl. spring. 



XXII. CAFSEI.Ii. CAPSELLA. 



Annuals, with entu-e or pinnate leaves and small wliite flowers, distin- 

 guished from Cress and Hutchinsia by having several seeds in each cell of 

 the pod, from Pennycress by the pod not winged, and the radicle incumbent 

 on the back of the cotyledons. 



A genus of a single one, or of two or three, European and Asiatic species, 

 according to the limits assigned to it by difierent botanists. 



1. Shepherd's-purse Capsell. Capsella Bursa-pastoris, DC. 



{Thlas'pi, Eng. Bot. t. 1485. Shepherd' s-purse.) 

 Root tapering, often to a great depth. Radical leaves spread on tlie 

 ground, pinnatifid, with a larger ovate or triangular terminal lobe, or some- 

 times entire. Stem from a few inches to above a foot high, rather rouo-h 

 and often hairy, with a few oblong or lanceolate, entire or toothed leaves, 

 clasping the stem with projecting auricles. Pods in a long loose raceme, 

 usually triangular, truncate at the top, with the angles slightly rounded, 

 and narrowed at the base, sometimes notched at the top and almost obcor- 

 date. Seeds 10 or 12 in each cell. 



Probably of European or west Asiatic origin, but now one of the com- 

 monest weeds in cultivated and waste places, nearly all over the globe 

 vrithout the tropics. Abimdant in Britain. Fl. nearly all the yea/r round. 



XXIII. CRESS. LEPIDIUM. 



Annuals or perennials, glabrous or hairy, with numerous small white 

 flowers. Petals equal. Stamens witlaout appendages. Pods ovate or 

 shortly oblong, rarely orbicular, compressed laterally (at right angles to the 

 narrow partition) ; the valves boat-shaped, either witliout wings or the keel 

 expanded mto a narrow wing at the top. Seeds one in each cell, the radicle 

 usually incumbent on the back of the cotyledons. 



A numerous and rather natural genus, widely difiused over the whole 

 range of the Order. It is readily distmguished from Candytuft by the 

 small petals all equal, and fi-om all other British siUculose Crucifers, with 

 laterally compressed pods, except Senebiera, by the single seeds in each cell. 



Pod winged at the top. 



Tall anuiial, with a single stem. Style short 1. Field C. 



Perennial, branching at the base. Style longer than the notch 



of the pod 2, Smith's a 



Pod not winged. 



Stem stout and erect. Leaves oblong or broadly lanceolate. 

 Upper leaves aurieled and clasping the stem. Pod 3 lines 



broad 3. Soory C. 



L'pper leaves narrowed at the base. Pod 1 line broad ... 4. Broad-lea ced C 

 Stem much branched and mxj. Leaves Unear or pinnate . . 5. Narrow-leaved C. 



