150 THE MILKWOET FAMILY. 



the fourth (lower petal, but uppermost from the twisting of the pedicel), 

 much smaller, but 3'et very broad, and somewhat concave ; the 2 innermost 

 (petals) very oblique and irregularly sliaped, more or less divided into two 

 unequal lobes. Stamens 5, with very short, tliick filaments, the anthers co- 

 hering in a mass round tlie pistil. Ovary 5-celled, with several ovules in 

 each cell. Stigmas 5, minute, sessile or nearly so. Capsule bursting elasti- 

 cally in 5 valves, which roll inwards, scattering the seeds. 



A numerous genus, chiefly East Indian, with a few North Anierioan 

 species. 



Flowers yellow. Spur of tlie calyx loosely bent hack, and entire ... 1. Yellow B. 

 Flowers orange-brown. Spurs closely bent back upon the calyx, and 



notched at the extremity 2. Orange B. 



Several East Indian species are cultivated for their flowers, and amongst 

 them the well-known garden Balsam (I. Balsamina), whose flowers become 

 double with great readiness. 



1. Yello^v Balsam. Impatiens Noli-iue-tang'ere, Liun. 

 (Eug. Bot. t. 937. Tovch-me-not.) 



An erect, glabrous, branching annual, 1 to 2 feet high ; the stem rather 

 succulent, and swollen at the nodes. Leaves stalked, ovate, pointed, toothed, 

 of a pale green, and very flaccid. Peduncles axillary, slender, bearing one 

 or two perfect flowers, which are large and showy, yellow, spotted with 

 orange ; the hooded sepal ending in a long spur, curved upwards, and bent 

 back upon the flower. These flowers seldom set their seed in this country j 

 the pods are chiefly produced by minute, imperfect flowers, of which there 

 are several on the same peduncles as the perfect ones. 



In moist woods and shady places, in the hilly districts of Europe and 

 Russian Asia, extenduig northwards into Scandinavia. In Britain, chiefly 

 in northern England and North Wales, extending neither into Scotland 

 nor Ireland. Fl. summer, till rather late. 



2. Orange Balsam. Impatiens fulva, Nutt. 



(Eng. Bot. Suppl, t. 2794.) 



An annual, closely resembling the yellow B., except that the flowers are 

 of a deeper oravige-colour, spotted with reddish-brown, and the spur is very 

 closely bent back upon the calyx, and slightly notched at the extremity. 



A North American plant, wliich appears to have fully established itself 

 along the Wey, and some other streams in SmTey. Fl. summer. 



XX. THE MILKWORT FAMILY. POLTGALACEiE. 



A family represented in Europe only by llilkwort itself. 

 The other genera associated with it are chiefly tropical or 

 natives of the southern hemisphere, diff'ering from Milkwort in 

 the form and consistence of their fruit, or in minor details in 

 the structure of their flowers. 



I. MILK-WORT. POLTGALA. 



Herbs or shrubs, with entire leaves, usually alternate, no stipules, and 

 very irregular flowers in terminal racemes. Sepals 5, of which the two inner 

 are larger, usually petal-like, and commonly called wings. Petals 3, 4, or 5, 



I 



