MILKWORT FAMILY 67 



and small ; wing-sepals broad, with the principal veins with few 

 branches between them. — Common on heaths. 



4. P. calcdrea (Chalk Milkwort). — Leaves tufted, the lower ones 

 large and fleshy, obovate ; flowering-branches axillary ; flowers 

 large ; wing-sepals broad, with prominent central vein united near 

 its middle with the branched lateral ones. — Chalk downs, chiefly 

 in the south-east of England. — Fl. May. Perennial. 



5. P. amdra, found in Kent and Surrey, has also its leaves in a 



POLYGALA VULGARIS (CoMMOn MilklUoH). 



rosette and fleshy ; but its flowers are very small, distant, pinkish 

 or pure white; its wing-sepals narrow, linear-oblong; and it is 

 only two or three inches high. 



6. P. uliginbsa, found on Cronkly Fell, Yorkshire, has larger 

 and more compactly grouped blue flowers. 



Ord. XI. Frankeniaceje. — The Sea-Heath Family 

 Herbaceous or somewhat shrubby plants with branched stems, 

 whorled exstipulate leaves with a membranous sheathing base, 

 and numerous small axillary polysymmetric flowers. Sepals, 

 petals, and stamens 4 — 6 each, the sepals united and persistent, 

 the petals with claws and ligules ; carpels 2 — 5 ; ovary 1 -cham- 

 bered ; ovules many, parietal ; capsule 2 — 5-valved. The species 



f 2 



