CL. XIV.] GALEOBDOLON LUTEUM. 



Geographical Distribution. 



This species seems to extend, as well as P. rhceas, from 

 60° N. Lat. towards the Tropics. In Lapland it is as seldom 

 met with as in countries between the Tropics. It is also 

 wanting, together with its related genera, in America. 



CLASS XIV. 

 Okdee- I. 



This is called Gymnospcrmia, because four naked caryop- 

 ses stand around the pistillum, at the bottom of the calyx, 

 (Tab. III. Fig. 17.) But there are transitions to capsules. 

 In Verbena^ for example, the four seeds, as long as they are 

 not quite ripe, are included in a membranaceous bladder, 

 which disappears when the seeds are matured. In this in- 

 stance, the pistillum stands directly on the germen, whilst in 

 the proper Gymnospermse, it stands in the middle of the four 

 caryopses. These latter bodies lie, in this family, on the 

 thickened and swollen germen {gynobasis). The Asperifo- 

 lias, again, which also have four caryopses, have no gynobasis, 

 but the caryopses are surrounded by a ring of nectaries. Of 

 the four filaments, two are commonly shorter than the others, 

 (Tab. IV. Fig. 16.) The pistillum is cleft. The corolla 

 has a disposition to become irregular, and exhibits frequent- 

 ly two lips ; hence this division forms the natural family of 

 the Labiatae ; (Anleit. ii. 427.) 



19. 



Galeobdolon luteum, Huds. 



Gelbe Hanfnessel, Goldnessei, gelber Hahnenkopf — French, 

 Jgr'ipanme Jaime ^ Lamier des bois- — ^Ital. Ortica morta 



