274 THE (ENOTHEKA FAMILY. 



perennial by means of scions or offsets formed in autumn at the base 

 of the decaying stem. Leaves opposite, or irregularly scattered. 

 Flowers pink or red, rarely white. Limb of the catyx 4-cleft. Petals 

 4. Stamens 8. Ovary and capsule long and narrow, 4-celled. Style 

 distinct, with a club-shaped or 4-lobed stigma. Seeds numerous, bear- 

 ing a tuft of long hairs. 



The genus is diffused over nearly the whole of the globe, from the 

 extreme Arctic regions of both hemispheres to the tropics. The nu- 

 merous forms the species assume in every variety of climate, make 

 it exceedingly difficult to define them upon any certain principle, and 

 botanists seldom agree as to the number they should admit. Those 

 here adopted are the most marked among our British forms ; but it 

 must be confessed that in some instances intermediates are to be met 

 with which will be found very puzzling. In all eases the style must 

 be carefully observed, if possible when fresh, and a note made whether 

 the stigma is entire or lobed. 



Flowers somewhat irregular, in long, terminal, leafless racemes. 



Petals spreading from the base, mostly entire .... 1. Willow E. 

 Flowers regular, axillary or in short racemes, leafy at the base. 

 Petals erect at the base, mostly notched. 

 Stigma deeply 4t-lohed. 



Stem often 3 to 4 feet. Flowers large. Leaves clasping 



the stem 2. Great E. 



Stem seldom above 2 feet. Leaves, at least the lower ones, 

 shortly stalked. 

 Leaves lanceolate, the middle ones sessile. Plant softly 



hairy 3. Hoary E. 



Leaves ovate-lanceolate or ovate, mostly stalked. Plant 



glabrous or slightly hoary 4. Broad E. 



Stigma club-shaped, entire (or very shortly 4>-looed in the 

 pale E.J. 

 Stem marked with two or four raised lines, decurrent from 

 the lower or all the leaves. 

 Leaves shortly stalked. Buds erect or slightly nodding 5. Pale E. 



Leaves lanceolate, sessile. Buds erect 6. Square E. 



Stem cylindrical. Decurrent lines none or faint. Buds 

 nodding. 

 Alpine plant, not 6 inches high. Leaves ovate. 



Leaves small, mostly entire. Plant little-branched 9. Alpine E. 

 Leaves broad, toothed, an inch or more long. Plant 



much branched 8. ChicJctveed E. 



Lowland plant, often a foot high or more. Leaves 



narrow, nearly entire 7. Marsh E. 



