188 THE ROSE FAMILY. 



A genus of several species, widely diffused over the temperate and colder 

 regions of Europe, Asia, and North America, and descending along the 

 Andes to extra-tropical South America. 



1. Common Avens. Geum urbanum, Linn. 



(Eng. Bot. t. 1 100. Kerh-Bennet.) 



Stems erect, slightly branched, 1 to 2 feet high, nearly glabrous. Stipules 

 large and leaf-like, the upper ones sometimes above an inch long, and broad, 

 and coarsely toothed or lobed. Leaves thin, light green, tlie lower ones 

 with several large segments interniixed with small ones, the upper ones 

 usually with only 3 large segments, or a single one divided into 3, and 

 sometimes 2 or 3' small ones along the stalk, all coarsely toothed. Flowers 

 yellow, with small spreading petals. Carpels in a close, sessile head, covered 

 with silky liau-s ; the awn about 3 lines long, curved downwards, with a 

 minute hook at the tip. 



Under hedges, on roadsides, banks, and margins of woods, common in 

 the greater part of Europe and Russian and central Asia, but not a high 

 northern plant, and only as an mtroduced plant in North America. 

 Abxmdant in England, Ireland, and southern Scotland, but apparently 

 becoming scarce towards the north. 



2. VITater Avens. Geum rivale, Linn. 

 (Eng. Bot. t. 106.) 



Kootstock often shortly creeping. Stems erect or ascending, usually 

 simple, shorter than in the common A. Leaves mostly radical, with one large, 

 orbicular, terminal segment, coarsely toothed or lobed, or sometimes divided 

 into 3, and a few very small segments lower down the stalk, all more hairy 

 than in the common A. Flowers few, drooping, much larger than in the 

 common A. ; the petals less spreading, of a duU purplish colour, with a tint 

 of orange. Carpels very hairy, in a globular head, which is shortly stalked 

 above the calyx. 



In marshes and wet ditches, in Europe, Russian Asia, and northern 

 America, extending into the Arctic regions, and almost confined to moun- 

 tainous districts in southern Europe. Common in northern England, Scot- 

 land, and Ireland, but rare in southern England. Fl. summer. Wliere this 

 and the common A. grow together, specimens are occasionally found which 

 partake of the characters of both, approaching sometimes more nearly to 

 the one, sometimes to the other. They have been described as a species 

 imder the name of 0. intermedium, but they are more generally believed to 

 be mere accidental hybrids between the two species. 



V. RUBUS. EUBtrS. 



Herbs, with a perennial stock, or more frequently weak, scrambling, 

 prickly shrubs ; the leaves pinnately or pahnately divided into distinct seg- 

 ments or leaflets, or rarely simply lobed. Calyx free, 5-lobed. Petals 5. 

 Stamens numerous. Fruit a kind of granulated berry, formed by the union 

 of numerous 1-seeded succulent carpels round the conical or shortly ob- 

 long, dry receptacle. 



A large genus, widely distributed over almost every part of the globe. 

 The fruit, analogous in some respects to that of a Mulberry, is sufficient to 



