176 Elementary Botany 



Echium, Viper's Bugloss. A very coarse hispid herb ; 

 corolla unequally five-lobed, the throat naked ; stamens much 

 protracted. 



Myosotis, Forget-me-not and Scorpion-grass. Corolla small 

 and rotate, the throat closed by five short notched scales. 



Symphytum, Comfrey. Coarse herb ; stem more or less 

 winged by the decurrent leaves (fig. 142) ; corolla campanulate, 

 with five awl-shaped scales. The young leaves and shoots are 

 sometimes eaten as a vegetable. 



PRIMULACE^. 



Typical plant, Common Primrose {Primula vulgaris). 



Note, an herb with radical leaves (many plants of the order, 

 however, possess cauline leaves) ; flowers regftilar ; calyx gamo- 

 sepalous, inferior, five-cleft ; corolla gamopetalous, five-cleft ; 

 stamens five, epipetalous, opposite the corolla lobes (the 

 flowers being dimorphic, the stamens are sometimes inserted 

 just in the throat of the corolla, sometimes some little distance 

 down the tube) ; ovary one-celled ; free central placentation, 

 single style ; stigma capitate. 



The plants grow mostly in the north temperate zone, espe- 

 cially in mountainous districts. 



Principal British Genera. 



Anagallis, Pimpernel (fig. 138). Calyx split to the base ; 

 corolla rotate ; hairy stamens ; capsule dehiscing transversely 



(fig- 258)- 



Cyclamen, Sow-bread. Calyx split halfway down ; corolla 

 rotate, with reflexed segments ; capsule dehiscing by five teeth. 



Hbttonia, Water-violet. A water plant with submerged 

 divided leaves ; calyx divided almost to the base ; corolla 

 salver-shaped ; capsule dehiscing by five teeth. 



Lysimachia, Loosestrife, Yellow Pimpernel, Moneywort, 

 Creeping Jenny, Sec. Calyx divided to the base ; corolla rotate ; 

 stamens without hairs ; capsule dehiscing by valves. 



Primula, Primrose, Cowslip, Oxlip. Calyx tubular, five- 

 cleft ; corolla salver^shaped or funnel-shaped. 



