Helleboru^.j uanuncolace.e. 13 



1. C. palustris, L. Common Marsh Marigold. " Stem erect 

 rooting or creeping, leaves orbiculari-cordate or reniform crenate, 

 calyx-leaves 6 — 6 oval deciduous." — Br. Fl. p. 11. E. B. i. 2175. 



In wet meadows, swampy thickets, and along boggy streams, but not very gene- 

 rally. Fl. March— June. Fr. May ? June. 71. 



E. Med. — Abundant in Horringlbrd withy-bed. Common in moory meadows 

 and wet thickets near Blackpan common, and in a meadow to the westward of 

 Merry Garden farm. Meadow between Nettlestone green and Park farm. Abun- 

 dant in Centurion's copse. In Brading marshes. Pan moor by Newport. Lit- 

 tle boggy wood immediately at the back of the fruit-garden at St. John's, sparingly. 

 In a wet hollow between the foot of Bembridge down and Bembridge farm, and 

 in a wet thicket near the latter. Common in wet meadows and thickets in most 

 parts of the vale of Newchurch. In Long Phillis copse. Near Appuldurcomhe 

 park on the way to Sandford. Luccombe, H. C Watson, Esq. 



W. Med. — Frequent in low meadows and thickets about Brixton and Shorwell. 

 Herb perfectly glabrous, extremely variable. 



Stem erect, ascending or decumbent, from a foot or under to 18 inches high, 

 simple below, sparingly forked above, leafy at the bifurcations only, bluntly angu- 

 lar or subterete, often compressed, faintly furrowed, fistulose, very soft and succu- 

 lent. Leaves smooth, succulent, strongly veined, the radical ones on very long 

 hollow petioles which are flattened above, and dilated at the base into membra- 

 nous stipular appendages, with brownish ribbed, scariose summits soon withering, 

 those of the stem smaller, alternate, on similar but shorter stalks, clasping the bases 

 of the branches and flower-stalks, the ultimate or highest leaves nearly or quite 

 sessile ; all extremely various in size, the root-leaves often very large, mostly cordato- 

 rotundale, and very obtuse, more rarely somewhat pointed and even triangular, the 

 margin acutely, bluntly, or obsoletely crenate-serrate, often entire or slightly waved 

 only, except at the lobes, which are usually notched, the sinus itself entire. Pe- 

 duncles 2, 3 or 4 together, single-flowered, various in length, deeply furrowed and 

 angular. Flowers erect, large and handsome, Ij or 2 inches in diameter, rich 

 golden yellow. Sepals about 5 — 8, obovate-rotundate, entire, unequal, rich golden 

 yellow, in an early state tinged or streaked greenish at the back, without distinct 

 claws or any pore at the base. Nectaries (nectarotheca;) none. Stamens very 

 numerous, yellow ; filaments flattened, slightly dilated upwards ; anthers adnate, 

 broadly elliptical, bursting laterally ; poHere yellow. Ovaries indeterminately nume- 

 rous (about 5 — 20 ?), oblong, greenish, with yellow, somewhat recurved, glandu- 

 lose and grooved, beak-like summits. Follicles about three-fourths of an inch in 

 length, in shape like an inverted legume, sessile and spreading or recurved in a 

 steflately radiated head, glabrous, purplish and shining, veined, bursting before 

 mature along their thin upper edge. Seeds numerous, oblong, at first green, then 

 brown, the white, prominent raphe dilated at its lower end into the large cellular 

 chalyza. 



Professor Bigelow (Flornla Bost.) tells us that in America the garish blossoms 

 of this rank, acrid, but showy plant, are brought to market as a spring nosegay, 

 under the name of our far more elegant though less pretending Cowslip ! 



VIIT. Helleborus, Linn. Hellebore. 



Calyx of 5 roundish petaloid sepals. Petals 8—12, very small, 

 tubular, 2-lipped. Follicles coriaceous. 



Perennial, bushy, foetid herbs, nearly peculiar to the more temperate parts of 

 Europe, with digitate or pedale leaves and broadly bracteated scapes and pedun- 

 cles. Flowers usually herbaceous or purplish. Qualities violently acrid, drastic 

 and dangerous. 



1. H.vindls,!^. Green Hellebore. " Stem few-flowered leafy, 

 leaves digitate, calyx spreading." — Br. Fl. p. 12. E. B. t 200. 



