558 



PEIMULACEiE. 



opposite, and frequently radical, exstipulate ; flowers on simple or 

 umbellate scapes. They are natives chiefly of temperate and cold 

 regions in the northern hemisphere ; some occur in elevated situations 

 in warm countries. Authors notice 20 genera, including 200 species. 

 Examples — -Primula, Androsace, Soldanella, Grlaux, Trientalis, Ana- 

 gallis, Samolus. 



None of the plants of this order occur in the British Pharmacopoeias, 

 but few of them have any important medicinal properties. Acridity pre- 

 vails more or less in the order. They are cultivated as showy garden 



Fig. 789. Fig. 788. 



s 



Fig. 784. 



Pig. 787. 



Fig. 786. Fig. 790. 



annuals and perennials. All the fine forms of Auricula are derived 

 from the yellow Primula Auricula, a native of the Swiss Alps. The 

 British species of Primula are P. veris, the Cowslip, the flowers of which 

 are said to be narcotic ; P. elatior, the Oxlip ; P. vulgaris, the Primrose ; 

 P. farinosa, the Bird's-eye Primrose ; and P. scotica, the Scottish Primrose. 

 The garden Polyanthus is a variety of the Primrose. The species of 

 Cyclamen, or Sowbread, have large tuberous-like partially subterranean 

 stems, with acrid properties, and their English name is derived from 

 the circumstance of their being eaten as food by wild boars. In them, 

 as well as in the species of Dodecatheon, the petals are reflexed. The 

 flowers of the species of Anagallis are meteoric (p. 263), and their 

 seed-vessel is a pyxidium (fig. 554, p. 307). They are said to be 

 acrid, and to cause inflammation of the mucous membrane. Anagallis 



Figs. 784-790. Organs of fructification of Primula elatior, illustrating the natural order 

 PrimulacEEE. Fig. 784. Diagram of the flower, with iive imbricate divisions of the calyx, 

 five segments of the corolla, five stamens opposite the oorolline segments, and five car- 

 pellary leaves, smTounding a free central placenta. Fig. 785. Vertical section of the 

 flower, c. Inferior calyx, p, Monopetalous corolla, c. Stamens attached to the corolla,. 

 0, Superior ovary, s, Style with capitate stigma. Fig, 786. Ovary cut vertically, to show 

 the free central placenta covered with ovules, s. Base of the style. Fig. 787: Vertical 

 section of the fruit. /, Pericarp, p. Placenta, with numerous seeds, some of which have 

 heen detached. Fig. 788. Peltate amphitropal seed separated, h, Hilum. Fig. 789. 

 Seed cut vertically, t. Integuments (spermoderm). h, Hilum. p. Fleshy perisperra 

 (albumen), e, Transverse embryo lying across the hilum. Fig. 790. Embryo with coty- 

 ledons and radicle. 



