84 THE FLAX FAMILY. 
perenne, but with the pointed sepals of L. usttatissimum. Itis occasionally — 
annual, but always differs from both the preceding species in its much 
smaller pale blue flowers, the petals seldom exceeding 5 lines in length. — 
In waste places, chiefly in limestone districts, very common in southern 
Europe and western Asia, and extending up western France tosouthern — 
and western England, as far as Lancashire; rare in Ireland. Fl.summer. — 
4, L. catharticum, Linn. (fig. 193). Cathartic F—A very slender, 
erect, or slightly decumbent glabrous annual, from 38 or 4 to 6 or 8 inches 
high, with small, opposite, obovate or oblong leaves, and very small 
flowers, of a pure white, on long, slender pedicels. Sepals all pointed. 
Petals obovate, scarcely 2 lines long. 
In meadows and pastures, common throughout Europe, except the 
extreme north, and in West Asia. Abundant in Britain. FJ. all summer. — 
IJ. RADIOLA. ALLSEED. 
A single species, separated from Flax on account of the parts of the 
flower and fruit being in fours instead of in fives, and the sepals united 
to near the middle in a several-toothed calyx. 
1. R. Millegrana, Sm. (fig. 194).  Aliseed.—A minute, erect annual, 
with very numerous, repeatedly forked branches, forming dense corym- 
bose tufts, 1 to 2 inches high, with minute elobular flowers, on short 
pedicels. Leaves small, opposite. Calyx-teeth 8or12. Petals 4, about 
the length of the calyx. [R. linoides, Roth., is an earlier name, but quite 
inapplicable. | 
On sandy heaths and waste places, in central and southern Europe to 
the Caucasus, extending northward into southern Scandinavia. Generally 
spread over Britain, and very abundant in some localities, though scarce 
in other districts. Fl. summer. 
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XVIII. MALVACEA. THE MALLOW FAMILY. 
Herbs or soft-wooded shrubs, with alternate, stipulate, pal- ~ 
mately-veined leaves, and regular flowers. Calyx of 5 divisions, 
valvate in the bud, and (in the British genera) 3 or more bracts 
at the base, forming an involucre or so-called outer calyx. Petals 
5, twisted in the bud, and adhering by their short claws to the 
amet tube. : Stamens numerous, their filaments united in 
a tube round the pistil, the anthers 1-celled. Ovaries (in the 
British genera), several, arranged in a ring round a common 
axis. Styles or style-branches as many as ovaries. Fruit (in 
the British genera) separating into as many carpels as ovaries. — 
Seeds 1 or several in each carpel, attached to the inner angle, 
kidney-shaped, with a curved embryo and little albumen. 
A very extensive and generally natural family, widely distributed, — 
chiefly over the warmer climates of the globe. The three British genera, © 
all closely allied to each other, only represent one of the two forms of 
ovary and fruit prevailing in the Order. In Azbiscus, Abutilon, and 
_several other exotic genera, the carpels areall united into a singleseveral- 
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