EOSACE^. 197 



X. SANGUISORB. SANGUISORBA. 



Herbs, ivith a perennial stock, annual, erect, or ascending stems, and 

 pinnate leaves. Flowers in dense oval or cylindrical heads, at the ends of 

 long peduncles. Calyx simple, of 4 coloiu-ed lobes, the tube enclosed in 

 2 or 4 bracts. Petals none. Stamens few. Carpels 1 or rarely 2, 1-seeded, 

 enclosed in the dry, oblong tube of the calyx. 



The genus consists but of very few European, North Asiatic, and North 

 American species. They are closely alhed to the following one, witli which 

 they are popularly included under the name of Burnet, the chief distinc- 

 tion being in the small nimaber of stamens, and the flowers usually herma- 

 phrodite. 



1. Burnet Sang'uisorb. Sangnisorba officinalis, Linn. 

 (Eng. Bot. t. 1312. Great Burnet.) 



A glabrous and erect perennial, attaining about 2 feet m height. Leaves 

 chiefly radical or from the lower part of the stem, with 9 to 13 ovate or 

 oblong, toothed segments ; the upper part of the stem almost leafless, and 

 divided into 3 or 4 long peduncles, each terminated by a single head of 

 flowers, at first globiJar, then ovoid or oblong, rarely an inch long. Flowers 

 much crowded, and more or less tinged with dark purple. Stamens 

 usually 4. 



In moist meadows, chiefly in mountainous districts, ahnost all over Eu- 

 i-ope and Russian Asia to the Arctic Circle. In Britain, chiefly in southern 

 Scotland, and in northern and western EngUnd ; not recorded from Ireland. 

 PI. summer. 



XI. FOTSRIUni. POTEEIUM. 



Herbs, with a perennial stock, ascending or erect annual stems, and pin- 

 nate leaves. "Flowers without petals, in dense, globular or ovate heads at 

 the ends of long peduncles, as in Sanffuisorb, but most frequently monoecious. 

 Calyx in the males 4-lobed, the stamens numerous, with long filaments. 

 Calyx in the females tubular, contracted at the mouth, with 4 smaU decidu- 

 ous teeth. After flowering it becomes quadrangular, closely enclosing 1 or 

 rarely 2 one-seeded carpels. 



A smaU genus, chiefly south European and western Asiatic, generally 

 preferring drier and more rocky situations than the Sanguisorbs. 



1. Burnet Poterium. Poterium Sang^uisorba, Linn. 

 (Eng. Bot. t. 860. Salad Burnet. Garden Burnet.) 

 A glabrous or very shghtly downy perennial, much Uke the Sanguisorb 

 but smaller, the stem seldom above a foot high. Leaflets small, ovate, deeply 

 toothed, often 15 to 19 to each leaf. Heads of flowers smaller and more 

 globular than in the Sanguisorb, of a light green colour, very seldom acqui- 

 ring a purplish tinge. Lower flowers all males, with the numerous stamens 

 projectmg in hanguig tufts ; upper flowers female, with a long style ending 

 in a purple, tufted stigma. Ripe calyx from 1 to 2 lines long, more or less 

 distinctly quadrangular, and in-egidarly wrinkled and pitted. 



In di-y pastures and clefts of limestone rocks, in central and southern 

 Europe, and temperate Russian Asia, extending northwards into southern 

 Sweden. In Britain, generally spread over the limestone districts of Eng- 



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