618 



THE SCR0PHULA1UA FAMILY. 



growing singly on axillary peduncles. Calyx tubular, with 5 promi- 

 nent angles, and 5 short teeth. Corolla with a broad tube, and 5 flat 

 lobes arranged in two lips ; the upper one 2-lobed and sometimes erect, 

 the lower one spreading and 3-lobed, the central lobe often notched. 

 Stamens 4. Capsule opening in 2 valves in the middle of the cells. 



An American genus, which, besides the species now naturalized in 

 Europe, comprises the Mush Mimulus and some others, occasionally 

 cultivated in our gardens. 



1. Yellow Mimulus. 



Mimulus luteus, Willd. (Fig. 739.) 

 A perennial, with a shortly creeping 

 rootstock, and erect or ascending stems, 

 either glabrous or slightly downy, sel- 

 dom above a foot high. Leaves ovate, 

 coarsely toothed, glabrous. Peduncles 

 2 inches long or more, bearing a showy 

 yellow flower, above an inch long, usually 

 marked inside with several small purple 

 spots at the mouth of the tube, and some- 

 times with a large purple-red or pink 

 spot upon each lobe. 



On the banks of streams, and in moist, 

 shady places, in north-western America 

 and Chili ; long cultivated in our flower- 

 gardens, and now naturalized in boggy 

 places in many parts of Britain. Fl. all 



Fig. 739. 



VI. LIMOSEI.. LIM08ELLA. 



Small, tufted or floating annuals ; the leaves and minute flowers 

 mostly radical. Calyx 5-toothed or -lobed. Corolla regular, cam- 

 panulate, 5-lobed. Stamens 4. Anthers 1-celled. Capsule globular, 

 with a very thin pericarp, scarcely dehiscent. 



Besides our European species the genus comprises but very few from 

 southern Africa and Asia. 



1. Common Limosel. Limosella aquatica, Linn. (Eig. 740.) 



(Eng. Bot. t. 357.) 



A glabrous annual, forming little tufts of 1 or 2 inches diame- 

 ter. Leaves on long stalks, oblong and entire, all radical as well as 



