276 



THE (ENOTHERA FAMILY. 



3. Hoary Epilobe. 



Epilobium parviflorum, Schreb. 

 (Fig. 338.) 



(Eng. Bot. t. 795.) 



Some specimens of this plant look like 

 the great E. on a small scale, others ap- 

 proach the broad JE. It is distinguished 

 from the former by its smaller stature 

 and much smaller flowers. The lower 

 leaves, also, and sometimes the upper 

 ones, are shortly stalked ; the middle 

 ones usually sessile, but scarcely clasp- 

 ing the stem. From the broad E. there 

 is little to separate it but the soft hairs 

 with which it is clothed, the narrower 

 leaves with shorter stalks, and the ra- 

 ther larger flowers. But none of these 

 characters appear to be quite constant, 

 and it may possibly prove to be a mere 

 variety of the broad E. 



In Europe and western Asia, but not 

 so common as the broad E., and gene- 

 rally found in wetter situations. It has 



nearly the same range over Britain, excepting the north of Scotland. 



Fl. summer. 



Fig. 338. 



4. Broad Epilobe. Epilobium montanum, Linn. (Fig. 339.) 



(Eng. Bot, t. 1177.) 



Stems erect, simple or slightly branched, from 6 inches to a foot or 

 more high, cylindrical, without any decurrent lines or angles, and 

 usually glabrous or slightly hoary ; the autumnal offsets usually short, 

 and sometimes sessile. Leaves shortly stalked, or sometimes almost 

 sessile, ovate or broadly lanceolate, and toothed. Flower-buds erect 

 or slightly nodding ; ovary downy, tapering into a stalk at the base, 

 and crowned by a calyx 2 or 3 lines long, divided below the middle 

 into 4 reddish lobes. Petals pink, usually nearly twice as long, but 

 sometimes scarcely exceeding the calyx, always deeply notched. 

 Style divided at the top into 4 oblong, spreading, stigmatic lobes. 

 Pod slender, 2 to 3 inches long. 



