se ences 
84 THE FLAX FAMILY. [ Linum. 
nial stock, either tufted or rootlike; the stems are usually more slender, _ 
and not so erect, and sometimes quite procumbent, the leaves smaller and 
narrower, and the sepals, or at least the inner ones, are always obtuse. 
In dry chiefly limestone pastures and waste lands, or sometimes in rich 
mountain pastures, varying much according to soil or situation, and widely 
diffused over central and southern Europe, and southern Russian Asia, but 
not extending into northern Germany. Occurs in some of the eastern 
counties of England, but in other localities Z. angustifolium is often mis- 
taken for it. #7. summer. 
3, G. angustifolium, Huds. (fig. 191). Pale fiax.—Usually a peren- 
nial, with the decumbent stems and narrow leaves of some varieties of Z. 
perenne, but with the pointed sepals of L. usitatissimum. It is also occa- 
sionally annual only, 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 to southern 
and western England, as far as Lancashire ; rare in Ireland. FV, summer. 
4, G. catharticum, Linn. (fig. 192). Cathartic Flax.—A very slender, 
erect, or slightly decumbent glabrous annual, from 3 or 4 to 6 or 8 inches 
high, with small, opposite, obovate or oblong Jeaves, 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, very common throughout Europe, except the 
extreme north and in west central Asia. Abundant in Britain. 7. all 
summer, 
ll. RADIOLA. ALLSEED, 3 
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. 193). Common Allseed.—A minute, erect 
annual, with very numerous, repeatedly forked branches, forming dense 
corymbose tufts, 1 to 2 inches high, with minute, globular flowers, on short 
pedicels. Leaves small, opposite. Calyx-teeth 8 or 12. Petals 4, about 
the length of the calyx. [2#. dinoides, Gmel., is an earlier name, but very 
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. 27. summer. 
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 
