224 PRIMROSE FAMILY. 



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, becom- 

 ing erect in fruit : fl. late spring. 



3. CYCLAMEN. (Classical name for the wild plant of Europe called 

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

 Flowers rose-colored, pink, or white, nodding on the apex of the stalk, die 

 reflexed lobes turned upwards. 2/ 



C. EuropSBUm, Common C. Corm l'-2' in diameter, sending up heart- 

 shaped thick sometimes angled leaves, often marked with white above and 

 crimson-purple or violet beneath, on slender petioles, and 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. F^rsicum, Persian C, is more tender, with longer and lanceolate 

 divisions and less op'en throat to the corolla, the flower-stalks not coiling after 

 blossoming. 



4. TBIENTALIS, CHICKWEED-WINTERGREEN. (From Latin 

 for the third part of a foot, the usual height of the European species. ) ^ 

 T. Americana, 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. 



5. LYSIMACHIA, LOOSESTRIFE (which the name means in Greek). 

 Fl. summer. Jj. 



§ 1. Wild species of the country, in low or wet grounds : corolla yellow. 



Ii. thyrsiflbra. Wet swamps N. : smooth, with simple stem leafless at 

 base, above with lanceolate sessile leaves, in the axils of one or two of them 

 a short-peduncled oblong spike or cluster of small flowers, having slender fila- 

 ments and lance-linear mostly separate purplish-dotted petals, and as many little 

 teeth between them. 



Ii. Stricta. Common N. & S. : smooth, very leafy, branching, with mostly 

 opposite lanceolate sessile dark-dotted leaves tapering to each end, flowers on 

 slender pedicels in a terminal long raceme leafy at base, unequal filaments mo- 

 nadelphous, and lance-oblong lobes of corolla blackish-streaked. 



L. C[uadrif61ia. Sandy moist ground : rather hairy, with ovate-lanceolate 

 sessile leaves 4 (or 3 - 6) in a whorl, slender peduncles in the axils of the upper 

 ones, and ovate-oblong lobes of corolla dark-streaked. 



L. Cili&ta. Low thickets ; with erect stems 2° - 3° high, opposite 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 nor dotted, the lobes round-ovate and wavy-margined or 

 denticulate, little longer than the sepals. 



L. radlcans, from Virginia S. W., resembles the foregoing, but stems or 

 branches reclined and rootin;^, and leaves and flowers smaller by half. 



L. lanceol^ta, commonest W. & S., is similar, but with oblong or linear 

 leaves mostly narrowed into short and margined petioles. 



L. longifblia, from Western New York W., has similar but deeper yellow 

 flowers, and sessile linear blunt stem-leaves of thicker texture. 



§ 2. European species in cultivated grounds, ^c. 



L. vulgaris, Common L. of Europe : a rather stout downy plant, 2° - 3° 

 high, with obloug or lance-ovate leaves 3' or 4 in a whorl, flowers in panicles, 

 and monadelphous filaments. 



L. nummul^ia, Moneywort : trailing and creeping in damp garden- 

 grounds, or running wild sometimes ; smooth, with opposite small round 

 leaves, and solitary flowers in their axils on short peduncles. (Lessons, p. 73, 

 fig. 199.) 



