404 ILLECEBRACE/E 



5. P. Coriinopus (Buck's-horn Plantain). — The only British 

 species with divided leaves. They are' linear and usually pin- 

 natifid, and more or less downy ; the ffower-spike is slender ; 

 stamens pale yellow; capsule 3 — 4-chambered, 3 — 4-seeded. — 

 Gravelly places, especially near the sea; common. — Fl. June — 

 August. Annual or biennial. 



6.* P. arendria (Sand Plantain), a downy, branching, leafy 

 plant, with sessile, linear leaves, and an ovoid spike on a long 

 stalk, has occurred casually on sand-hills in Somerset and Jersey. 



2. LiTTORi':i-LA (Shore-weed). — A genus comprising only the 

 one species, L. uniflora, which is not unlike Plantdgo maritiina in 

 habit; but has rtiinwrs, and when under water forms a matted 

 turf. Its leaves are all radical, linear, fleshy, flat above and curved 

 beneath, and nearly glabrous. The solitary stainiilale flowers each 

 rise on a peduncle 2 — 4 in. high, have 4 se/als, a tubular, 4-lobed 

 corolla, and 4 long, exserted stamens with large aiilhers. The 2 

 or 3 carpellate flowers, sessile among the leaves, have 3 — 4 sepals, 

 an urceolate, 3 — 4-lobed corolla, and a i-chambered, 1 — 2-ovuled 

 ovary with a long stiff style. — Marshes and lake-margins ; com- 

 mon. (Name from the Latin liltus,'; a sjiore.) — Fl. June — 

 September. Perennial. 



Ord. LXl. Illecebr,4ce/E. — 'i'liE Knot-gra.ss P'amily 



A small Order of small, branching, often tufted, herbaceous 

 plants, mostly natives of warm, dry climates. A few only are 

 found so far north as Great Britain, and nearly all of these are 

 confined to our southern counties. 'Phey have simple, sessile 

 leaves, generally entire and with memljranous stipules; minute, 

 perfect, and cymosely arranged floieers ■ sehals usually 5, some- 

 times 4, persistent, and closmg over the. fruit ; petals 5, minute, 

 alternating with the sepals, sometimes wanting ; stamens 1 — 10, 

 opposite the petals when equalling them in number ; ir,'arv 

 superior, i-chambered, i-ovuled ; style 2 — 3-fid ; jruit enclosed 

 in the calyx, dry, indehisccnt, 1 -seeded. 



1. IllecebrU-M. — Leaves opposite, not connate ; sepals white, 

 with long points ; stigmas 2. 



2. Hkrn'iaria. — Leaves scattered and opposite, not connate ; 

 sepals green, blunt ; stigmas 2. 



3. CoRRiofoLA. — Leaves scattered ; sepals green, bliuit, united 

 at the base ; stigmas 3. 



4. ScLER.ANTi-uis. — Lcavcs o]iposite,. connate; sepals 4—5, 

 united; petals absent ; stigmas 2 — 4. 



