Soli RUBiACE.E. [Rithia. 



Order XL. RUBIACE^, Juss. 



" Calyx adherent with the ovary, entire or toothed at the mar- 

 gin. Corolla regular. Stamens inserted upon the corolla and 

 between its divisions. Style 1. Ovary 1, with 2 or more cells. 

 Emhryo straight, surrounded by a horny albumen. Radicle infe- 

 rior. — Leaves opposite, with inter petiolar stipules or whorled. — 

 A most imj)ortant natural family. All the species found in Eu- 

 rope belong to the group called Stellata or Rubiacece proper, and 

 have, besides the above characters, a 4 — 5 lobed corolla valvular 

 in ffistivation, 4 — 5 stamens, a bipartite or trifid style, 2 capitate 

 stigmas, a 2-celled 2-seeded pericarp, and slender herbaceous 

 square stems with whorled leaves." — Br. Fl. 



I. Etjbia, Linn. Madder. 



" Corolla rotate or campanulate or funnel-shaped, 4 — 5 cleft. 

 Stamens 4 — 5. Fruit a 2-lobed berrij." — Br. Fl. 



This genus scarcely differs from Galium, except in certain technical characlers 

 given above, of wliich that of having the flowers pentanierous is perhaps the only 

 tolerably natural clisiinction. The true M adders, as so restricted, are for the most 

 part of larjrer size &m\ more robust habit than the Bed-straws, with scandent some- 

 limes woody stems, and rigid, prickly, often persistent leaves, that are usually in 

 whorls of 4 or sometimes 5, rarely 6. But cerlaiu American species now referred 

 to Galium are inlermediate betwixt it and Rubia in their succulent coloured fruit 

 and tetramerous flowers, as well as in general habit, and hence have been allotted 

 by preceding authors sometimes to the one, sometimts to the other of these j;enera, 

 as, for instance, the G. hispidulum of Michaux (R. Brownei of the same author, 

 and R. Walteri of DeCandoUe), G. uniflorum of Mx., ■Vu. These connecting spe- 

 cies however form but a small group (Relburnium of Endl.), leaning rather to 

 Rubia than to Galium, and are furtljer distinguished from the true Galiums by 

 their iuvolucrate or bracteated peduncles. 



1. 'R. peregrina, L. Wild Madder. Vcct. Evergreen Cliver. 

 Leaves mostly 4 in a whorl persistent smooth and shining above 

 margins and midrib beneath prickly, stems scabrous woody below, 

 peduncles paniculately forked, corolla 5-cleft rotate. Br. Fl. p. 

 186. E. B. t. 851. Fl. Ital. ii. p. 145. R. sylvestris, Brot. 

 Phyt. Lusit. select, ii. t. 169. 



Climbing over bushes or rough rocky ground in woods, thickets and hedges in 

 many paits of both East and West Medi'.ia; abundantly. -F/. June, July. Fr. 

 September.' October. If. 



E. Med. — Frequent about Ryde, in Quarr copse, Shore copse, Whitefield wood, 

 and most abundantly in a lane (Church !.;ne, I believe it is called) skirting Quarr 

 copse, between Binstead and the Newpori road, and where it produces berries. 

 Along the shores of the harbour between ISembridge and Brading, very plenti- 

 fully. Profusely all along the Dndercliff, and very luxuriant at St. Lawrence, 

 Steephill and Bonchurch. In woods along the coast between Ryde and St. 

 Helens. 



W. Med. — In various places along the upper road from Yarmouth to Newport, 

 betwixt Hebbards and Walchingwell farnis, in plenty. About Newport and 



