Oxalis.] XX. GERANIACE^E. 95 



downy annual, or, in warmer climates, a perennial, with slender, spread- 

 ing branches, seldom above 6 inches long. Leaves of 3 deeply obcordate 

 leaflets, with small stipules at the base of the leafstalks. Peduncles 

 slender, axillary, bearing an umbel of from 2 to 4, or rarely 5, pale 

 yellow flowers, much smaller than in 0. Acetosella. 



A common weed in all the hotter and most of the temperate regions 

 of the globe. In Britain, only in a few localities in southern England, 

 except where accidentally introduced into gardens. Fl. the whole season. 

 A closely allied American species, the 0. stricta, with a more erect stem 

 and no perceptible stipules, is also an occasional garden weed. 



IV. IMPATIENS. BALSAM. 



Herbs, mostly glabrous or almost succulent, with alternate, undivided 

 leaves, no stipules, and very irregular flowers. Sepals and petals all 

 coloured, and consisting usually of 6 pieces, viz., 2 outer, opposite (sepals), 

 flat and oblique ; the next (upper sepal, although by the twisting of 

 the pedicel it hangs lowest) large, hood-shaped, ending below in a 

 conical spur ; the fourth (lower petal, but uppermost from the twisting 

 of the pedicel) much smaller, but yet very broad, and somewhat concave ; 

 the 2 innermost (petals) very oblique and irregularly shaped, more or 

 less divided into two unequal lobes. Stamens 5, with very short, thick 

 filaments, the anthers cohering in a mass round the pistil. Ovary 5- 

 celled, with several ovules in each cell. Stigmas 5, minute, sessile or 

 nearly so. Capsule bursting elastically in 5 valves, which roll inwards, 

 scattering the seeds. 



A numerous genus, chiefly East Indian, with a few North American 

 species. 



Flowers yellow. Spur of the calyx loosely bent back, and 



entire 1. J. Noli-me-tangere. 



Flowers orange-brown. Spurs closely bent back upon the 



calyx, and notched at the extremity . . . . 2. I. fulva. 



Several East Indian species are cultivated for their flowers, and 

 amongst them the well-known garden Balsam (I. Balsamina), whose 

 flowers become double with great readiness. The /. parviflora, a native 

 of eastern Europe and Kussian Asia, has more or less established itself 

 as a weed in some of the southern counties of England. It is a rather 

 tall species, with many flowered peduncles, and very small flowers, with 

 a very short spur. 



1. I. Noli-me-tangere, Linn. (fig. 219). Yellow B., Touch-me-not. — 

 An erect, glabrous, branching annual, 1 to 2 feet high ; the stem rather 

 succulent, and swollen at the nodes. Leaves stalked, ovate, pointed, 

 toothed, of a pale green, and very flaccid. Peduncles axillary, slender, 

 bearing 1 or 2 perfect flowers, which are large and showy, yellow, 

 spotted with orange ; the hooded sepal ending in a long spur, curved 

 upwards, and bent back upon the flower. These flowers seldom set 

 their seed in this country ; the pods are chiefly produced by minute, 

 imperfect flowers, of which there are several on the same peduncles as 

 the perfect ones. 



In moist woods and shady places, in the hilly districts of Europe and 

 Kussian Asia, extending northwards into Scandinavia. In Britain 



