408 THE SCEOPHULAEIA FAMILY. 



dom above 6 inches long. Leaves alternate, pinnate, with deeply cut, 

 small segments. Flowers sessile in the upper axils, pink-red or rarely 

 white. Calyx broadly oblong, with 5 unequal teeth or short lobes, the 

 longer ones often toothed. Tube of the corolla much longer than the 

 calyx, the upper Up with one minute tooth on each side, under the point. 



In moist pastures, and meadows, all over western, central, and uorthem 

 Europe, but disappearing in the south and the east. Common in Britain. 

 Fl. spring and summer. 



XIV. MEXiAMPVRE. MELAMPTRUM. 



Erect or spreading herbs, probably semi-parasitical like the Tiattle, with 

 opposite leaves and branches ; the floral leaves often passing into coloured 

 bracts ; the flowers yellow, purple or variegated, either axillary or in terminal 

 leafy spikes. Calyx tubular or campanulale, with 4 teeth. CoroUa with a 

 distinct tube ; the upper Up compressed, entire or with a small tooth or lobe 

 on each side in front ; the lower hp spreading, with 3 short lobes, and a 

 more or less projecting palate closing the mouth of the tube or nearly so. 

 Capsule ovate, obhque, with from 1 to 4 oblong seeds. 



A small but distinct genus, confined to Europe and northern Asia. 



. Flowers variegated with purple, in short leafy spikes. 



Spikes closely imbricated, 4-sided. Floral leaves broadly cor- 

 date and finely toothed 1. Crested M. 



Spikes oblong, rather loose. Floral leaves ovate, acuminate, 



with long slender teeth 2. Purple HI, 



Flowers yellow, in distant axillary pairs, all turned one way. 

 Upper floral leaves toothed at the base. Flowers pale yellow, 



6 lines long or more 3. Common M. 



Floral leaves all entire. Flowers deep yellow, 3 or 4 lines long 4. Small-Lowered M, 



1. Crested Melampjri'e. IMIelaiupyrtim cristatum, Linn. 

 (Eng. Bot. t. 41.) 



Stem simple, or with a few broadly-spreading opposite branches, 8 inches 

 to a foot high. Leaves lanceolate or linear and entire, or the upper ones 

 toothed at the base. Flowers in a densely imbricated 4-sided spike, 1 to li 

 inches long ; the flored leaves or bracts under each flower sliort and broad, 

 finely but shortly toothed, and of a clear pink or purphsh colour at the base. 

 CoroUa yeUow, more or less variegated with purple, about 6 Unes long. 



In woods and tliiokets, over nearly the whole of Europe and Russian Asia, 

 but not so common as some other species. In Bi-itain, chiefly confined to 

 eastern England. Fl. summer. 



2. Purple MCelampyre. Melampsrruin arvense, Linn. 



(Eng. Bot. t. 53. Cowwheat.) 



A taller and handsomer plant than the crested M., and usually covered 

 with a very short close down. Leaves lanceolate, toothed at the base. 

 Flowers in a long, loose, leafy spike, beautifuUy variegated ; the bracts often 

 longer than the flowers, at first pink, turning green as they advance, and 

 bordered by long slender teeth. Calyx purphsh-green, with similar long 

 teeth. CoroUa 6 to 8 lines long, with a pink tube, a bright yeUow throat, 

 and deep-red Ups. 



In cornfields, in temperate Europe, from south Sweden to the Caucasus, 

 often proving very injurious to the crops. In Britain, hitherto confined to 

 a few locahties in southern England and in Norfolk, Fl. summer. 



