SAXIFRAGACEiE. 



315 



terminal flower. Calyx in the British species almost free, with 5 seg- 

 ments. Petals 5, perigynous. Stamens perigynous, 5 perfect, and 5 

 imperfect, bearing, instead of anthers, a tuft of globular-headed fila- 

 ments. Stigmas 4, rarely 3, sessile. Capsule 1-celled, opening in 4, 

 or rarely 3, valves. Seeds very numerous, without albumen, inserted 

 on 4, rarely 3, parietal placentas, opposite the styles, and in the centre 

 of the valves. 



A few species are inhabitants of bogs and wet places in Europe, Asia, 

 and ]N"orth America. The above characters are so well marked, that 

 the genus is not easily confounded with any other, but its place in the 

 Natural System has been much disputed. It has been most generally 

 placed amongst Thai 'ami/lores, with the Sundews, next to the Violet 

 and Milkwort families ; but its close affinity with Saxifrage and Chry- 

 sosplene has now been fully proved, especially by the recent publica- 

 tion of several curious Himalayan species. 



1. Marsh Parnassia. Parnassia palustris, Linn. (Fig. 387.) 

 (Eng. Bot. t. 82. Grass-of- Parnassus.) 



Stock very short. Radical leaves ra- 

 ther long-stalked, broadly heart-shaped, 

 glabrous as the rest of the plant. Stems 

 6 inches to a foot high, with a single 

 sessile leaf below the middle. Flower 

 white, rather large. Segments of the 

 calyx ovate, spreading, 3 to 3J lines long. 

 Petals obovate, spreading, nearly twice 

 that length. Imperfect stamens at the 

 base of each petal, short and thick, with 

 a tuft of 10 to 12 short, white filaments, 

 each bearing a little, yellow, globular 

 gland. Capsule globular. 



In bogs and moist heaths, throughout 

 northern Europe and Russian Asia, be- 

 coming a mountain plant in southern 

 Europe and west-central Asia. Fre- 

 quent in Britain. Fl. end of summer 

 and autumn. 



Fig. 387. 



IV. SUNDEW, DROSERA. 



Herbs, with long-stalked, radical leaves, covered with long, glan- 

 dular hairs or bristles ; the leafless flower-stems terminating in a simple 

 or forked unilateral spike or raceme. Sepals 5, free from the ovary. 



