PRIMROSE FAMILY. ' 275 



smooth, with a cluster of oblong or spatulate leaves around the base of a 

 simple scape, 6'-2° high, which has an umbel of several or many hand- 

 some rose-purple or often white flowers nodding on the slender pedicels, 

 becoming erect in fruit ; flowers late spring. 



4. CYCLAMEN. (Classical name for the wild plant of Eu. called 

 Sowbread.) Cult, in this country as house plants for winter flower- 

 ing. Flowers rose-colored, pink, or white, nodding on the apex of the 

 stalk, the reflexed lobes turned upwards. % 



C. Europceum, Linn. Corm l'-2' in diameter, sending up heart-shaped, 

 thick, sometimes angled leaves, often marked with white above and crim- 

 son-purple or violet beneath, on slender petioles, and fragrant flowers with 

 open throat and oval or oblong divisions, the flower stalks coiled up after 

 flowering so as to bring the pod to the ground to ripen. 



C. latifblium, Sibth. & Smith (or C. Pbrsicum), is more tender and 

 not fragrant, with longer and lanceolate divisions and less open throat to 

 the corolla, the flower stalks not coiling after blossoming. 



5. THIENTALIS, CHICKWEED WINTERGREEN. (From Latin 

 for the third part of a foot, the usual height of the European 

 species.) 2/ 



T. Americana, Pursh. American C. or Star Flower. In open low 

 woods, especially N. ; a pretty plant, the stem bearing a few scales below, 

 and at top a whorl of long, lanceolate leaves tapering to both ends ; also 

 2 or 3 slender-stalked delicate flowers with taper-pointed petals, in spring. 



6. STEIRONEMA. (Greek : sterile thread, in reference to the stami- 

 nodia.) Leafy-stemmed, flowering in summer. % 



* Leaves broad, ovate, or lance-ovate. 



S. ciliatum, Raf. Low thickets ; with erect stems 2°-3° high, oppo- 

 site dotless leaves lance-ovate with rounded or heart-shaped ciliate base 

 and -on fringed petioles, flowers nodding on slender peduncles from the 

 upper axils, light-yellow corolla not streaked or dotted, the lobes round- 

 ovate and wavy margined or denticulate, little longer than the sepals. 



S. radicans, Gray, resembles the foregoing, but stems or branches 

 reclined and rooting, and leaves and flowers smaller by half. Va., S. W. 



* * Leaves lanceolate or narrower. 



S. lanceolatum, Gray. Commonest W. and S., has oblong or linear 

 leaves, mostly narrowed into short and margined petioles. 



S. longifdlium, Gray. From W. N. Y., W. and S., has similar but 

 deeper yellow flowers, and sessile linear blunt stem leaves of thicker 

 texture. 



7. LYSIMACHIA, LOOSESTRIFE (which the name means in 

 Greek). Flowers summer. % Low grounds. 



* Plant erect. 



*■ Flowers in an ample terminal leafy panicle ; the corolla not dotted. 



L. vulgaris, Linn. A rather stout downy plant, 2°-3° high, with 

 oblong or lance-ovate leaves, 3 or 4 in a whorl ;' flowers in panicles, and 

 monadelphous filaments. European species in waste and cultivated 

 grounds. 



