90 



THE MIGNIONETTE FAMILY. 



2. Cut- 



leaved Mignionette. Reseda lutea, Linn. (Fig. 113.) 

 (Eng. Bot. t. 321.) 



Not so tall as the dyers JM~.,much more 

 branched, and less erect. Leaves very 

 variable, but always deeply divided, 

 most of them once or twice trifid, but 

 occasionally pinnatifid, with few oblong 

 or linear segments, much waved on the 

 margins. Flowers on slender pedicels, 

 in long racemes. Sepals usually 6, but 

 sometimes only 5. Petals as many, of a 

 greenish yellow, the lowest entire or 2- 

 cleft, the others irregularly divided into 

 2, 3, or 4. Capsule oblong, with 3, rarely 

 4, very short teeth. 



In waste places, especially in limestone 

 districts, in central and southern Europe, 

 to the Caucasus. In Britain, chiefly 

 prevalent in south-eastern England, but 

 extends also to the limestones of the 

 western and northern counties of Eng- 

 °" * land, into Ireland, and up the east 



coast of Scotland to Aberdeen. Fl. summer. 



3. White Mignionette. Reseda alba, Linn. (Fig. 114.) 

 (B.fruticulosa, Eng. Bot. Suppl. t. 2628.) 



A tall perennial, the lower leaves 

 crowded on the stock or base of the stem, 

 and all deeply pinnate, with numerous 

 (9 to 21) linear or lanceolate segments, 

 entire, but waved on the margins. 

 Flowers on short pedicels, much whiter 

 than in the last two species. Sepals 5 or 

 6. Petals as many, all equal, and 3-cleft. 

 Capsule ovoid, with 4, or sometimes 3, 5, 

 or 6 teeth. 



A Mediterranean species, long since 

 introduced into our cottage gardens, and, 

 as an outcast from them, appears to have 

 become naturalized in some parts of the 

 south coasts of England and Ireland. 

 Fl. summer. 



Fig. 114. 



