68 



THE CEUCIFER FAMILY. 



or reniform, entire or angularly toothed ; 

 the upper ones sometimes similar, some- 

 times ovate or oblong, and often quite 

 sessile. Flowers in short racemes, the 

 petals obovate and spreading. Pods 

 globular or ovoid, varying from 2 to 3 

 lines in diameter, pointed by the short 

 style, the midrib of the valves very pro- 

 minent when dry. 



In stony, muddy, or sandy soils, all 

 ^p around the Arctic Circle, on the sea- 

 coasts of northern and western Europe, 

 and at considerable elevations in the 

 great mountain chains of Europe. Not 

 uncommon on the shores of England and 

 Ireland, still more abundant on those of 

 Scotland, penetrating inland along some 

 of its rivers, and in the Highland moun- 

 tains. Fl. all summer. It varies much in the size and shape of the 

 leaves, in the size of the flowers, and the size and shape of the pods, 

 and has been divided into two, three, or even eight or nine species. 

 The most prominent varieties are the C. danica (Eng. Bot. t. 696), with 

 all the leaves stalked, and the C. anglica (Eng. Bot. t. 552), with large 

 flowers and pods. 



Fig. 84. 



XIV. ALYSSUM. ALYSSUM. 



Annuals or low branching perennials, with a hoary or short stellate 

 down, and white or yellow flowers. Filaments of the stamens, or the 

 shorter ones only, usually winged near the base, or thickened, or fur- 

 nished with small teeth. Pod sessile within the calyx, orbicular or 

 oval, the partition broad, the valves convex and not veined. Seeds 1 

 to 4, or very rarely more, in each cell. [Radicle accumbent on the edge 

 of the cotyledons. 



An extensive genus, ranging over Europe and northern Asia, and 

 tolerably natural, distinguished from Draha chiefly by the short few- 

 seeded pod, with more convex valves, or by the appendages to the base 

 of the filaments, one or other of these characters being observable in all 

 the species. They have also usually a stifFer, more leafy habit, and 

 even the annuals often look woody. 



Sepals persisting round the pod. Petals minute, yellowish-white. 



Seeds 2 in each cell 1. Small A. 



