OEOB-ANCHACEJB. 385 



IV. ATROPA. ATEOPA. 



Calyx broadly campanulate, deeply 5-lobed. Corolla campanulate, re- 

 gular. Fruit a berry. 



A genus confined by some to the single European species, but extended 

 by others to include several herbs or shi-ubs from warmer chmates, of no in- 

 terest to the British botanist. 



1. Deadly Atropa. Atropa Belladonna, Linn. 

 (Eug. Bot. t. 592. Dwale or Belladonna?) 



An erect, glabrous or slightly downy herb, with a perennial root-stock 

 and branching stem. Leaves stalked, rather large, ovate and entire, with a 

 smaller one usually proceeding from the same point, often so small as to look 

 like a stipule. Flowers solitary, on short peduncles, in the forks of the stem 

 or in the axUs of the leaves. CoroUa pale purpUsh-blue, nearly an inch 

 long, with 5 broad, short lobes. Stamens shorter, with distinct filaments. 

 Ben-y rather large, globular. 



In waste, stony places, in southern Europe and west central Asia, extend- 

 ing over central Europe, chiefly about old castles and ruins. In Britain, it 

 is only found in similar locahties in southern England, and a few stations 

 further north, probably the remams of former cultivation. Fl. summer. 



LV. THE BROOMRAPE FAMILY. OEOBANCHACE^. 



Herbs, of a brown or purplisli colour, passing into yellow or 

 blue, but never green, always parasitical on the roots of other 

 herbs or shrubs ; the stems simple or rarely branched, erect, 

 bearing scales of the same colour instead of leaves, and a ter- 

 minal spike of flowers, each in the axil of a bract, similar to 

 the scales of the stem, and accompanied often by a pair of 

 smaller bracts at the base of the calyx. Calyx variously 

 divided, usually into 2 or 4 lobes or sepals. Corolla broadly 

 tubular or campanulate, often curved, the lobes more or less 

 2-lipped. Stamens 4, in 2 pairs. Anthers 2-celled, the cells 

 parallel, and usually pointed at the lower end. Style single, 

 with a 2-lobed stigma. Ovary and capsule 1-celled, the latter 

 opening in 2 valves, with numerous small seeds attached to 

 parietal placentas. 



A small Order, spread over the greater part of the globe, bvit chiefly in 

 temperate climates, and more abundant in the old world than in America. 

 The floral characters are nearly those of the Scrophnlaria family, with the 

 exception of the ovary and capsule, which are never divided into cells, the 

 placentas not joining in the centre. The absence of green leaves at once 

 distinguishes it from all British species of that family. 



Caljrx deeply divided into 2 or 4 pointed sepals 1. Bkooiteape. 



Calyx with 4 broad, short teeth or lobes 2. Lathb^a. 



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