GERANIUM FAMILY. 95 



4. FLCERKEA, FALSE MERMAID. (For Flcerke, a German bot- 

 anist.) ® 



P. proserpinacoldes, Willd. A small and insignificant plant; leaf 

 segments 3-6, lanceolate and entire, or rarely 2-3-cleft ; the axillary and 

 peduncled flower inconspicuous (in spring and summer), the oblong petals 

 shorter than the calyx and,entire. Marshes and river banks, N. and W. 



5. OXALIS, WOOD SORREL. (Greek: sour, from the acid juice.) 

 An attractive genus of small herbs, with many cultivated species. 



* Peduncles l-flowered; petals white, red, or variegated. 



O. Acetosflla, Linn. Tkue W. The leafstalks and l-flowered 

 scapes 2'-4' high from a creeping, scaly -toothed rootstock ; flower rather 

 large, white, with delicate reddish veins. Common in mossy woods N. % 



0. varidbilis, Jacq. Is more hairy ; leaflets obovate and scarcely 

 notched, commonly crimson beneath, only 1' long ; scapes short, 3' ; petals 

 1J' long, white, or pink-red with a yellowish base. Cape of Good Hope. 



0. versicolor, Linn. From small bulbs, sends up slender stems, 2'-3' 

 high ; leaflets almost linear, notched at the end ; petals 1' long, white or 

 tinged with rose, with bright, pink-red margins outside, so that the blos- 

 som is red when rolled up in the bud or closed in shade, but white above 

 when it opens in sunshine. Cape of Good Hope. 



0. Mi/a, Linn. From a strong bulb, sends up to the surface a short 

 scaly stem, bearing thick flattish leafstalks and short scapes ; the leaflets 

 6-10 and linear ; petals nearly 1' long, yellow, often edged with reddish. 



p p " * * Peduncles 2-ao -flowered. 



■*- Leaflets 4 or 7-10; flowers crimson to purplish; stemless, hairy. 2i 



0. tetraphylla, Cav. Leaflets 4, obcordate, with a brownish blotch or 

 band when young. Mexico. O. Depfei of gardens. 



0. lasi&ndra, Graham. Leaflets 7-10, oblanceolate, 3' long by 1' broad, 

 obtuse and entire at apex ; scapes 9'-18' high, with a many-flowered 

 umbel. Mexico. 



•m. Flowers yellow. 



O. comiculata, Linn. Yellow W., Ladies' Sorrel. 1° high, pu- 

 bescent, with sharp, oppressed hairs ; stipules round or truncate, ciliate ; 

 peduncles 2-6-flowered ; pods long, erect. Rare eastward, indigenous 

 Mo. and S.W. ; but 



Var. stri ota, Sav., is extremely common ; stems erect, nearly smooth to 

 very villous ; leafy ; stipules 0. 



Var. rt/bra is a purple-leaved form in cultivation. 



O. reolirva, Ell. Like the first variety of the preceding ; leaflets larger 

 (}'-l$' broad), usually with a brownish margin ; flowers larger (6"-8" 

 long). Penn. to S. 111. and S. 



0. Ortgiesi, Regel. Stems purplish-red, erect, 1° high, rather fleshy, 

 becoming tough or woody below ; leaflets obovate, with 2-pointed lobes, 

 the notch broad, olive-green above, purple beneath ; flowers small, in 

 cymes on long axillary peduncles. Peru. 



0. ValdiviSnsis, Barn. Stem smooth, 1° high, branching at base ; 

 leaflets obcordate, the lobes very round ; petals deep yellow, with reddish 

 veins, especially outside. Chile. 



*+ ++ Flowers violet, purple, or rose-red. 



O. violacea, Linn. Violet W. Leafstalks and slender scape from 

 a scaly bulb, the flowers several in an umbel, middle-sized, violet. % 

 Common S., rarer N., in rocky or sandy soil. In common cultivation. 



