638 



THE SCROPHULARIA FAMILY. 



1. Crested Melampyre. Melampyrum cristatum, Linn. 



(Fig. 706.) 



(Eng. Bot. t. 41.) 



Stem simple, or with a few broadly- 

 spreading opposite branches, 8 inches 

 to a foot high. Leaves lanceolate or 

 linear and entire, or the upper ones 

 toothed at the base. Flowers in a dense- 

 ly imbricated 4*sidcd spike, 1 to 1^ 

 inches long; the floral leaves or bracts 

 under each flower short and broad, 

 finely but shortly toothed, and of a clear 

 pink or purplish colour at the base. 

 Corolla yellow, more or less variegated 

 with purple, about 6 lines long. 



In woods and thickets, over nearly the 



whole of Europe and Russian Asia, but 



not so common as some other species. 



In Britain, chiefly confined to eastern 



Pig. 766. England. Fl. summer. 



Purple Melampyre. Melampyrum arvense, Linn. 

 (Fig. 767.) 

 (Eng. Bot. t. 53. Cowwkcat.) 



A taller and handsomer plant than the 

 crested M., and usually covered with a 

 very short close down. Leaves lanceo- 

 late, toothed at the base. Flowers in a 

 long, loose, leafy spike, beautifully varie- 

 gated ; the bracts often longer than the 

 flowers, at first pink, turning green as 

 they advance, and bordered by long 

 slender teeth. Calyx purplish-green, 

 with similar long teeth. Corolla 6 to 8 

 lines long, with a pink tube, a bright 

 yellow throat, and deep-red lips. 



In cornfields, in temperate Europe, 



from south Sweden to the Caucasus, 



often proving very injurious to the crops. 



In Britain, hitherto confined to a few 



localities in southern England and in 



^. HnhT Norfolk. Fl. summer. 



Fig. 767. 



