94 Gerantacee—O.talis. 
are known, of which three or four are widely distributed, and 
the rest from South Africa and Seuth America. The name is 
from é£vs, sharp, acid, in reference to the quality of many 
species. Dimorphic and trimorphic flowers are frequent in this 
genus, the apetalous ones being very fertile. The pretty 
Wood Sorrel, 0. Acetosélla, belongs to this genus, and many 
of the exotic species are strikingly beautiful. 
1. O. corniculata.—This is one of the most widely dispersed 
plants, occurring in all save very cold countries. A small 
branching pubescent annual or biennial plant. Leaves all 
cauline, stipulate, 3-foliolate. Flowers small, yellow, two or 
three together. There is a handsome variety of this named 
rubra, with bronzed-purple foliage. 
2. O. Déppet.A tuberous-rooted species with quadri- 
foliolate leaves ; leaflets obcordate. Flowers large, lurid red, in 
umbels, produced all the Summer. Mexico. 
3. O. Valdiviénsis.—A glabrous annual from 6 to 9 inches 
high with trifoliolate leaves and rich yellow flowers tinged 
with red, and borne in long-stalked umbels. 
4. O. rosea, syn. O. floribunda.— A Brazilian perennial 
species with trifoliolate leaves, growing about 6 inches or more 
high. Leaflets ovate, emarginate. Flowers numerous, um- 
bellate, rose or white. 
5. O. violacea.—A hardy North American plant. Leaflets 
3, obcordate. Flowers few, umbellate, purplish violet, appear- 
ing in May and June. 
6. O. Bowiei.—This is one of the handsomest of the genus. 
A perennial about 6 inches high, slightly pubescent, with 
large trifoliolate leaves and rich purplish red flowers. It is a 
native of South Africa, and nearly hardy or quite hardy in 
favourable localities in this country. 
6. IMPATIENS. 
Herbs or undershrubs, usually glabrous. Leaves alternate, 
opposite or radical, serrate or dentate ; petiole often glandu- 
lar at the base. Peduncles axillary, solitary, or fascicled, one 
or more flowered. Flowers irregular. Sepals 3, very rarely 5, 
coloured, imbricated, two lateral flat, two anterior when pre- 
sent small, the posterior or upper produced downwards in a 
spur. Petals 3, anterior outside, concave, lateral, bifid, formed 
of two united, the upper lobe exterior. Stamens 5. Capsule 
5-celled, many-seeded, the valves opening with elasticity ; 
