( 239 .) 
PY'ROLA* *. 
Linnean Class and Order. Deca'ndria f, Monogy'nia. 
Natural Order. Pyrola'ceae, Lindl. Introduction to the Nat. 
Syst. of Bot. p. 184. — Mack. FI. Ilibern. pt. i. p. 182 . — Pyro'le/E, 
Lindl. Syn. p. 175 . — Monotro'feae, Nutt. Gen. v. i. p. 272, fide 
Lindley . — Erica'ce.e; tribe, PyroliAv ; Don's Gen. Svst. of 
Card. & Bot. v. iii. pp. 785 & 789 . — EricFnea:, Rich, by Macgill. 
p. 450 . — Erica?, Juss.Gen.Pl. p. 159. — Sm.Gram. of Bot. p. 115. — 
Eri'ceab , sect. Pyrolea? ; Loud. Hort. Brit. p. 523 . — Syrin- 
cales; subord. Ericosa? ; sect. EriciNjE ; type, Ericaceae; 
subtype, Pyrolidaj ; Burn. Out!, of Bot. pp. 900, 937, 944, 946, 
and 947. — Bicornes, Linn. 
Gen. Char. Calyx (fig. 1.) inferior, of 1 sepal, in 5 deep, per- 
manent segments. Corolla (fig. 2.) of 5 roundish, concave petals, 
which are often slightly connected at the base. Filaments (see 
figs. 3 & 4.) 10, awl-shaped, curved, variously directed, shorter than 
the corolla. Anthers (see fig. 4.) large, pendulous, of 2 cells, each 
opening by a round pore at the summit. Germen (see figs. 3 & 6.) 
superior, roundish, 5-lobed. Style (fig. 5.) cylindrical, longer than 
the stamens, variously directed, permanent. Stigma tumid, some- 
what annular, notched. Capsule orbicular, depressed, with 5 angles, 
5 cells, 5 valves, and 5 partitions, from the central column, oppo- 
. site to the centres of the valves, and alternate with the angles where 
the cells burst (see figs. 6 & 7) ; receptacles 5 (see fig. 7), from the 
central column, compressed, alternate with the partitions. Seeds 
very numerous, covering the receptacles, very small, oval, each in a 
membranous tunic, elongated at both ends. 
Distinguished from other genera, in the same class and order, by 
the 5-cleft calyx ; the corolla of 5 petals ; the anthers opening by 
2 pores ; the superior, 5-celled capsules ; and the numerous seeds, 
each invested with a membranous, elongated tunic. 
Five species British. 
PY'ROLA MINOR. Lesser Winter-green. 
Spec. Char. Leaves egg-shaped, rounded, crenate. Stamens 
regularly inflexed, as long as the very short straight style, which is 
included within the flower. Stigma large, with 5 divergent rays. 
Engl. Bot. 1. 158. (bad). — Dill, in Ray's Syn. p. 363. — Linn. Sp. PI. p. 567. — 
Huds. FI. Angl. (2nd ed.) p. 176. — Willd. Sp. PI. v. ii. pt. i. p.6‘21. — Sm. FI. 
Brit. v. ii. p. 444. Engl. FI. v. ii. p. 257. — With. (7th ed.) v. ii. p. 524. — Gray’s 
Wat. Arr. v. ii. p. 403. — Lindl. Syn. p. 175. — Hook. Brit. FI. p. 187. — Lightf. 
FI. Scot. v. i. p.‘218. — Sihth. FI. Oxon. p. 136.— Abb. FI. Bedf. p. 92. — Davies' 
Welsh Bot. p. 40. — Purt. Midi. FI. v.ii. p. 732. — Hook. FI. Scot. p. 128. — Grev. 
FI. Edin. p. 92.— Johns!. FI. of Berw. v ii. p.280. — Winch’s FI. of Northumb. 
and Durh. p. 27. — Walker’s FI. of Oxf. p. 118. — Mack. FI. Hibero. pt. i. p. 183. 
—Py'rula rosea, Engl. Bot. t. 2543. 
Fig. 1. Calyx. — Fig. 2. Corolla. — Fig. 3. Stamens, Germen, Style, and Stigma. 
— Fig. 4. A separate Stamen. — Fig. 5. Style and Stigma. — Fig. 6. transverse 
section of Germen. — Fig. 8. Vertical section of a Capsule of Pyrola rotundi- 
folia, showing the receptacles of the seeds. From Gartner. — All, except figs. 
1 & 2, more or less magnified. 
* Adopted by Linn^us from the older authors. It is a diminutive of Pyrus, 
and alludes to the resemblance of the leaves to those of a pear-tree. W mmuNO. 
t See Saponaria officinalis, folio 37, note t- 
