BOEAGINE^. 373 



the tube, and the style and stamens usually slightly protruding, though 

 shorter than the lobes. 



In open, sunny situations, chiefly on Thyme, SeaiTi, and other small 

 shrubby plants, in Europe and temperate Asia. More frequent in England 

 than the greater D., and extending into southern Scotland, but unknown 

 in Ireland. Fl. summer. 



LIII. THE BORAGE FAMILY. BOEAGINE^. 



Herbs, usually rough with coarse hairs (rarely, in exotic 

 genera, shrubs or even trees), with alternate, simple, usually 

 entire leaves ; the flowers in one-sided spikes or racemes, rolled 

 back when young, and usually forked or dichotomous. Calyx 

 of 5 divisions or teeth. Corolla regular or slightly irregular, 

 monopetalous, with a 5-cleft limb. Stamens 5, inserted in the 

 tube of the corolla, and alternating with its divisions. Ovary 

 deeply 4-lobed (or, in some exotic genera, 2-lobed), with a 

 simple style inserted between the lobes. Fruit consisting of 

 as many small, 1-seeded nuts, having the appearance of seeds, 

 and enclosed within or surrounded by the calyx. 



A numerous family in the northern hemisphere, with a few representa- 

 tives in the tropics or in the southern hemisphere ; easily distinguished by 

 the 4 seed-like nuts from all but Labiates, and from these by their alter- 

 nate leaves and more regular flowers. 



Tube of the corolla open, without any scales or valves at its orifice. 

 Stamens protruding beyond the corolla. 

 CoroUa oblique, and more or less irregular, with erect or 



scarcely spreading lobes 1. Echiuixi. 



Corolla regular, with a straight tube and spreading Umb . . 3. Meeteksia. 

 Stamens included in the tube of the corolla. 



Calyx tubular, the lobes not reaching to the middle .... 2. LrNGWORT, 



Calyx divided to the base. Nuts very hard 4. Lithospebm. 



Tube or centre of the corolla more or less closed at its orifice 

 by scales or valves, or stamens. 



CoroUa tubular, ivith 5 small teeth 8. COMPEET. 



CoroUa rotate, the anthers erect, forming a cone in the centre . 9. Bobage. 

 CoroUa (smaU) with a slightly bent tube, and rather obUque, 



spreading Umb 7. Bfgloss. 



Corolla with a straight tube, and regular, spreading Umb. 

 Calyx broad and somewhat flattened, enlarged after flower- 

 ing, with 5 smaU teeth between the large ones . . . .10. Aspeettgo. 

 Calyx regularly 5-cleft. 

 Nuts depressed, ovate or round, murieated and burr-like . 11. HotJNB's-TOKGUE. 

 Nuts ovoid, erect, smooth or wrinkled. 

 Nuts wriniled. Spikes with a bract under each flower . 6. Alkaitet. 

 Nuts smooth and shining. Eacemes without bracts. 



Flowers usually smaU 5. Mtosote. 



Among exotic genera, EcMnospermum Lappwla, a south European annual, 

 which has all the appearance and the small flowers of a Myosote, but with 

 triangular, veiy rough nuts, has been occasionally found in isolated locaU- 

 ties in England, when accidentally introduced with Continental weeds. The 

 well-known swaet Heliotrope of our gardens belongs to a large exotic genus, 

 truly Boragineous, though somewhat anomalous in the closer union of the 



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