MILKWORT TRrBE 35 



chaffy. An exceodingl)' curious little plant, s-fi inches high, 

 growuig in bogs. The root is small and fibrous, and takes a very 

 shght hold on the ground; the lei\-es are densely covered with 

 red hairs, each of which is tip;je 1 witli a drop of viscid fluid; from 

 the centre of the tuft of leaves rises a wiry leafless stalk, bearing 

 several small whilish flowers, which only expand in sunny weather ; 

 the flowers are all on the same side of the stalk, which in its early 

 stage is curled up, and gradually uncoils itsclt as the flowers sever- 

 ally expand. — Fl. July, August. Perennial. 



2. D. longifolia (Longdeaved SimAew). -^Leaves all from the root, 

 erect, elongated, broad at the extremity, and tapering towards the 

 l)ase ; leaf-stalks smooth ; seeds with a rough, not chaffy coat. 

 Smaller than the last, and, like it, growii^.g in boggy places, but 

 not so frequent. — Fl. July, August. Perennial. 



3. D. Aiiglica (Great Sundew). — Leaves ah from the roots, erect, 

 long and narrow, on very long smooth stalks ; seeds with a loose 

 chaffy coat. Much like the last, and growing in similar situations, 

 but is stonier and taller and has longer lea\-es. Rare. — Fl. July, 

 August. Perennial. 



Natural Order XI 

 POLYGALACEiE.— The jMii.kwokt Tribe 



Sepals 5, the two inner larger, generally petaldike ; petals 3-5, 

 unequal, more or less combined with the filaments ; stamens 8, 

 in two equal sets ; anthers i-cellcd, opening by pores at the summit ; 

 pistil I ; capsule i~3-celled ; seeds pendulous. An extensive tribe 

 of herbaceous or shrubby plants, with clustered, often showy flowers. 

 Many are bitter, and their roots are milk\'. Medicinally they are 

 said to be useful m affections of the lungs, and to excite perspiration. 

 The most celebrated is a North American herb, Polvgala senega 

 (Snake-root), to which extraordinary virtues are ascribed. Several 

 species are said to cure snake bites. Krameria (Rhatan3f-root) is 

 astringent, and furnishes a red infusion, used to adulterate port 

 wine. Some of the above properties, but in a less degree, reside 

 in the only British genus, Polygula. 



I. POLYGAI.A (Milkwort). — Sepals 5, the I wo inner coloured, 

 wing-shaped ; petals combined with the filaments, the lower one 

 keeled ; capsule flattened, 2-celled, 2-valved ; seeds downy, crested 

 at the base. (Name from the Greek, signifying nnich milk, the juice 

 of the root being milky ; or perhaps from the belief that it increased 

 the milk-yield of cows which ate it.) 



I. POLYGALA {Milkwort) 

 I. P. vulgaris (Common Mflkwort). — Lower petal crested in a 

 starlike manner ; calyx-wings about equal in length to the corolla ; 



