OISTAGEACEiE. 211 



in terminal racemes. Limb of the calyx of two divisions, turned back whilst 

 flowering. Petals 2. Stamens 2. Style distinct, with a thick stigma. 

 Ovary and capsule globular, pear-shaped, or oblong, 2- or 1-celled, with 

 1 seed in each cell. 



This pretty httle genus consists but of three or four species, spread over 

 Europe, temperate Asia, and North America, all so nearly resembUng each 

 other, that, in the opinion of some botanists, they are mere varieties of one. 

 Plant more or less hairy. Capsule pear-shapetl, with 2 seeds .... 1. Common C. 

 Leaves perfectly glabrous. Capsul3 oblong, with 1 seed 2. Alpine C. 



1. Common Circsea. Circsea lutetiana, Linn. 



(Eng. Bot. t. 1056. ISnchanter' s NigMshade.) 

 Stems erect or shortly decumbent, and rooting at the base, 1 to IJ feet 

 high, and, as well as the leaves and racemes, more or less clothed with very 

 short whitish hairs. Leaves on rather long stalks, broadly ovate or heart- 

 shaped, 2 to 3 inches long, rather coarsely toothed, of a thin texture. 

 Flowers wliite or pink, in elegant, shghtly branched, leafless, terminal 

 racemes. Pedicels about 2 lines long, tiu-ned down after flowering. Capsule 

 small, pear-shaped, covered with stifi', hooked hairs, forming a small burr. 

 Seeds 2. 



In woods and sliady situations, throughout Europe and central and 

 Eussian Asia, except the extreme north, and in North America. Abundant 

 in England and Ireland, but scarce in Scotland. Fl. summer. 



2. Alpine Circsea. Circsea alpina, Linn. 

 (Eng. Bot. t. 1057, not good.) 



Closely resembles the common species, of which it may be a mountain 

 variety, but is smaller in all its parts, and usually quite glabrous, except tlie 

 fruit. It is seldom above 6 inclies high ; the leaves are thinner, and often 

 glossy ; the capsules smaller, less haiiy, much narrower, and usually contain 

 only a single seed, owing to the almost constant abortion of one of the cells. 



In woods, and stony places, chiefly in mountain districts, in Europe and 

 all across Eussian Asia, often ascending to great altitudes, and penetratuig 

 further northward than the common C, but apparently not an Arctic plant. 

 Abundant in Scotland, extending into the north of England, but disap- 

 pearing in the south. Fl. summer. A larger variety has sometimes been 

 described as a distinct species, under the name of C. intermedia, a name also 

 occasionally given to smaller states of tlie common C. 



V. MYRIOPHYIjI.. myeiophyllum. 



Aquatic plants, with finely pinnated, whorled leaves, and minute, sessile, 

 .■gionoBoious flowers. Calyx with 4 short divisions. Petals 4 in the male 

 flowers, very minute or none in the females. Statoens in the males 8, 6, or 

 4. Ovary and capsule of the females short, diviTded into 4 cells, with 1 seed 

 in "jach. 



A smaU genus, widely diffused over almost every part of the globe. In 

 _^ its finely-cut whorled leaves it bears at first sight much resemblance to 

 fc Ceratophyll, but the lobes of the leaves are pinnate, not repeatedly forked 

 Hl as in the latter plant. 



Floral leaves louger than the flowers, usually pinnate, like the atem- 



leaves 2. Whorled M. 



