446 EUPHOEBiACE*. [Mercurialis . 



segments, glabrous. Stamens about 9 — 12, clustered in the centre of the flower and 

 about as long as the segments, unaccompanied by any rudimentary germen ; 

 anthers greenish yellow, of 2 globular lobes united at the back by a thick connec- 

 tivum and bursting along the centre of their superior half; pollen yellow. — Pis- 

 tillate Jlowers few, subsolitary, on bracteated pedicels like the staminate but rather 

 longer. Perianth as in those. Germera com presso-globose,2-lobed, setoso-hispid, 

 having on either side between the lobes at their base, and inserted on the peri- 

 anth, an erect, deciduous, awl-shaped process, dilating at the bottom and some- 

 what bristly, that has been termed a nectary for want of a better name, though 

 conjectured to be abortive stamens ; I have however once or twice observed them 

 to secrete a drop of fluid. Style deeply cleft, the segments thick, recurved, rough 

 with notched, pellucid, glandular crests or ridges, beneath green. Capsules dark 

 brown, hispid and tubercular, of 2 globose often unequal lobes the size of pepper- 

 corns, with a longitudinal suture, but bursting in pieces elastically. Seeds large, 

 globular, with a small pointed protuberance, at first dark brown, dotted with 

 small shallow depressions, and covered with a thin membrane or tunic, which 

 adheres firmly to the quite ripe seed, which then becomes light gray and wrinkled. 



The Miss Sibleys, of Hall Place, near West Meon, inform me that cows greedily 

 devour the herbage of M.perennis, when it is within their reach, without injury to 

 themselves, though reputed poisonous to cattle and the human species. See 

 Gardiner, 'Flora of Forfarshire,' p. 160. 



The plant turns partially blue in drying, and perhaps contains indigo or some 

 analogous principle, which after vitality is extinguished absorbs oxygen, and 

 becomes apparent by precipitation in the vegetable tissue. Yet the attempts of 

 Mr. , of Glasgow, to obtain a permanent colouring matter or dye- 

 stuff from it have failed of success. This, like the next species, the Rev. Hugh 

 Davies has seen quite monoecious. 



9. M. annua, L. Annual or French Mercury. " Fertile flowers 

 whorled nearly sessile, stem with opposite branches, leaves gla- 

 brous, root fibrous annual. 



" a. Dioecious, leaves ovate or ovato-oblong, fertile flowers in lateral spikes." — 

 Br. Fl. p. .Jee. E. B. t. 559. Fl. Dan. t. 1890 (mas). 



/3. Monoecious. Barren and fertile flowers mostly in sessile axillary clusters. 

 Br. Fl. p. 366. M. ambigua, L. fit. . PI. Ear. Hort. Upsal. t. 8. E. B. Suppl. 

 t. 2816. 



In garden-ground and waste places about towns, but not very common. Fl. 

 July — November. 0. 



E. Med. — On the Dover and elsewhere at Eyde, occasionally. In a garden in 

 George street, Ryde, with Micandra physaloides, but sparingly, 1844. Between 

 Godshill a«i Sandford, Albert Hambrough, Esq., 1848. At Steephill, id. !.'.' At 

 Ventnor, Dr. Martin .'.'.' " On the sea-beach near Ryde, plentifully," Ray (now 

 extinct). [On the shore at Bembridge, near the Coast-guard station, A. G. 

 More, Esq., Edrs.] 



W. Med. — Field at Gurnet bay, near Gurnet farm, 1839. Abundant in North- 

 wood park, amongst potatoes, Miss G. Kilderbee .'.'.' 



j3. With the common form, but rarely. A trublesome weed in the fruit-gar- 

 dens at St. John's, introduced perhaps with foreign seed, and where it may be 

 seen passing more and more into the usual dioecious and spicate form of inflores- 

 cence every successive year. 



Herb quite glabrous in every part. Root whitish, tapering, branched, with 

 several stout, rigid, flexuose fibres. Stem erect, from about 12 to 18 or 20 inches 

 high, pale green, sharply angular and furrowed, with a thick rectangular wing or 

 ridge alternating between each joint, solid, copiously and oppositely branched 

 from the very base, in the larger specimens forming a very bushy herb, the 

 branches decussate, more or less spreading or erect, the lowermost usually ascend- 

 ing, and as well as the stem itself bulbously tumid at their junction with the lat- 

 ter. Leaves opposite, subtending the branches and flower-stalks, bright (some- 



