50 THE CRUCIFER FAMILY. [Raphanus. 
entire. Flowers of the size of those of the Charlock, the calyx very erect, 
the petals either white, with coloured veins, or pale yellow, or lilac. Pod 
usually 1 to 14 inches long, nearly cylindrical when fresh, and terminating 
in a long, pointed or conical style, when dry more or less furrowed 
longitudinally, and often separating in joints between the seeds. 
A common weed of cultivation, throughout Europe and Russian Asia, 
except the extreme north, and equally abundant in Britain. FU. summer 
and autumn, A seacoast variety, particularly abundant round the Medi- 
terranean, but extending up the shores of western Europe to those of Eng- 
land, Ireland, and southern Scotland, has been distinguished as a species, 
under the name of &. maritimus. It has the leaves usually more divided, 
the pods often longer, and is more apt to last a second year, but all the 
other characters derived from the colour of the flower, the comparative 
length of the style and pod, the depth of the furrows, ete., occur also on 
inland specimens, at least on the Continent. [ &. maritimus, Sm., is confined 
to the seacoast, and no doubt indigenous; &. Raphanistrum is a cornfield 
plant, the origin of which is doubtful. | 
VII. RESEDACER. THE MIGNONETTE FAMILY. 
A small family, limited in Britain to the single genus 
Reseda. The exotic genera, of very few species each, asso- 
ciated with it, originally formed part of it, but have been 
separated on account chiefly of the slight differences in the 
structure of the fruit. 
I. RESEDA. MIGNONETTE. 
Herbs, either annual or with a short perennial stock, alternate leaves 
no stipules, and small greenish-yellow or white flowers, in long terminal 
racemes or spikes. Sepals 4 to 6. Petals as many, small, narrow, and 
some or all of them deeply divided. Stamens indefinite, but not numerous 
(about 8 to 24), inserted under the ovary on a glandular disk. Ovary 
single, with short téeth, each terminating in a very short style or sessile 
stigma. Capsule green, open at the top long before maturity, containing ~ 
several seeds, arranged along as many parietal placentas as there were 
styles. Seeds without albumen. 
The species are rather numerous, and chiefly confined to Europe, northern 
Africa, and western Asia. The narrow, insignificant, divided petals, and 
open capsule, are sufficient to distinguish them from all other British plants. 
Teaves entire 08. G02 el 
Leaves cut or divided. 
Petals white, all divided. Leaves pinnate, with many entire seg- 
ments . . Bs tte alba, 
Petals greenish-yellow, oneor two of them undivided. Leaves 
trifid or pinnate, with few segments, often again divided . 2. R. lutea. 
The sweet Mignonette of our gardens (#. odorata) is a native of Egypt, 
nearly allied to &. lutea. | 
1. R. luteola, Linn. (fig. 118). Dyer’s Mignonette, Weld, Yellow 
Weed, or Dyer’s Rocket.—An erect glabrous annual or biennial, with a 
hard, stiff, scarcely branched stem, 1 to 2 feet high. Leaves linear or lan- 
