POLEMONIACE,?;. 369 



1. Common Backbean. nienyanthes trifcliata, Linn. 

 (Eng. Bot. t. 495. Buckbean or Marsh Trefoil.) 



An aquatic herb, with a creeping rootstock and densely matted roots. 

 Stem short, creeping or floating, with a dense tuft of leaves, consisting each 

 of a long stalk, slieathing at the base, and 3 obovate or oblong leaflets, 1 to 

 \^ inches long. Flowers white, tinged externally with red, in an oblong ra- 

 ceme, on a peduncle of 6 inches to a foot, proceeding from the base of the 

 tuft of leaves. Calyx short, with rather broad green lobes. Corolla cam- 

 panulate, deeply 5-lobed, and elegantly fringed on the inside with white 

 filaments. 



In wet bogs, and shallow ponds, in Europe, Russian Asia, and North 

 America, extending into the Arctic regions. Diffused all over Britain. Fl. 

 summer, rather early. 



VI. IiIiaNANTII. LIMNANTHEMIJM. 



Aquatic plants, with simple, broad, floating leaves and yellow flowers. 

 Calyx 5-clelt. Corolla nearly rotate, 5-cleft, slightly fringed withinside at 

 the base. Capsule bursting irregidarly when ripe. 



A small genus, represented by some species or variety in the fresh waters 

 of most of the temperate or tropical parts of the world. 



1. Common Iiimnanth. Iiimnantliemuni nympliseoides. Link. 

 {Menyanthes, Eng. Bot. t. 217. Villarsia, Brit. Fl.) 



The long stems creep and root at the base, branching and ascending to 

 the surface of the water, bearing a single leaf at each upper branch, and a 

 terminal floating tuft of leaves and peduncles. Leaves on long stalks, and 

 deeply cordate, Uke those of a Waterlily on a small scale. Peduncles as 

 long as the leafstalks, each with a single, rather large, yellow flower. 



In ponds and still waters, throughout Europe and central and Russian 

 Asia, except the extreme north ; extending eastward to China. Found in 

 many English and Irish counties, but in most instances introduced as an 

 ornamental plant. Fl. summer. 



LI. THE POLEMOmUM FAMILY. POLEMONIACE^. 



Herbs or rarely shrubs, the flowers usually in terminal 

 cymes or panicles. Calyx 5-cleft or 5-toothed. Corolla re- 

 gular, 5-lobed, the lobes twisted in the bud. Stamens 5, in- 

 serted in the tube, and alternating with the lobes. . Ovary 

 single, 3-celled, with several or rarely a single seed in each 

 cell, inserted in the inner angle. Style simple, with 3 stig- 

 matic lobes. Capsule 3-celled, opening in 3 valves by slits 

 opposite the middle of the cells. 



A small family, spread over northern Asia and America, and western 

 South America. Besides the European genus, it includes the Phloxes, 

 Gilia.v, and Collomias of our flower-gardens, as well as the shrubby Cantwas 

 and climbing Cohoeas of our planthouses. 



