312 THE BORAGE FAMILY. 



Don., which is more hairy, with narrower lobes to the calyx, reaching 

 to about the middle ; and M. cozspitosa, Schultz, with a smaller corolla, 

 with the limb often slighty concave ; the first is more common in the 

 south, the last in the north, but they all three run so much one into 

 another as not to be distinguishable with certainty even as varieties. 



2. M. sylvatica, Hoffm. (fig. 700). Wood M.—A perennial, like M. 

 palustris, but with a more tufted stock, and rather roughly hairy. Calyx 

 cleft nearly to the base, with narrow segments, erect when in fruit ; its 

 hairs more or less spreading, and crisped or hooked when seen through 

 a lens. Corolla as large as or even larger than in the M. palustris, with 

 the limb spread out flat. 



In mountain pastures and shady situations, common in the far north 

 of Europe and Asia, as well as in the great central chains from the 

 Pyrenees to the Caucasus and the Altai. Not frequent in Britain, nor 

 occurring north of Forfarshire. FL summer. It varies much in size 

 and stature ; in lower shady situations, and in our gardens, the stems 

 will attain a foot or more in length, with rather small flowers. The 

 alpine form, with larger flowers, is by some distinguished as a species, 

 under the name of M. alpestris, Schmidt. It is extremely rare, and 

 confined to the high mountains of Perthshire, Teesdale, and Westmore- 

 land. 



3. M. arvensis, Hoflm. (fig. 701). Field M. — An annual or some- 

 times biennial, with a weak stem often above a foot long. It has the 

 hairy foliage and deeply cleft calyx of M. sylvatica, but the corolla, 

 although variable, is much smaller, with a short concave limb. Calyx 

 shorter than the pedicels, or scarcely so long even when in fruit, with 

 narrow segments, erect when in fruit. 



On hedge-banks, in cultivated ground, the edges of woods, and 

 bushy places, throughout Europe and central and northern Asia, and 

 in North America. The most common species all over Britain. Fl. 

 all summer and autumn. Some of the large-flowered specimens are 

 difficult to distinguish in the dried state from the smaller-flowered 

 ones of M. sylvatica, but when fresh I have never observed any really 

 intermediate forms. 



4. M. collina, Hoffm. (fig. 702), Early M. — A low, much branched, 

 hairy annual, seldom attaining 6 inches ; the leaves mostly collected 

 in radical tufts, with a few at the base of the flowering branches, 

 which consist chiefly of the slender racemes ; the pedicels seldom 

 above a line long. Calyx, when dry, exactly like that of M. arvensis, 

 but in the living plant its segments are spreading, not erect, after 

 flowering. Corolla very small, of a bright blue, with a small, con- 

 cave limb. 



On dry, open places, in central and southern Europe, to the Caucasus 

 and the western Himalaya. Not frequent in Britain, but apparently 

 more so in the south of England than further to the north, and 

 is also found in eastern Ireland. Fl. early summer, and dies soon 

 after. A white-flowered and more permanent variety, M. Mittenii, 

 is often cultivated. Occasional intermediate forms excite some 

 doubts as to whether this be really specifically distinct from M. 

 arvensis. 



5. M. versicolor, Pers. (fig. 703). Changing M. — A little hairy 

 annual, with a more simple and erect stem than any of the fore- 



