28 
WILD FLOWERS OF THE BRITISH ISLES 
IV. CHICKWEED WINTER-GREEN. (TRIENTALIS. Linn.) — A genus consisting of the 
one European species : — 
Chickweed Winter-green. (Trientalis Europaea. Linn.)— A very delicate and 
beautiful little plant, consisting of a cluster of 1-4 white flowers, each on a slender stalk, 
all rising from the same point at the top of the stem (umbel), surrounded by a circle (whorl) 
of oval pointed spreading leaves ; the stem is unbranched and erect, 3-6 inches high, and has 
only 2 or 3 small alternate leaves below the terminal cluster. Sepals 7, united at the base, free 
from and inserted below the seedcase (inferior) ; petals 7, united at the base, inserted below the 
seedcase (hypogynous) ; stamens 7 ; carpels 5 ; fruit a roundish, rather fleshy capsule, i-celled, 
few-seeded, opening at the top by 5 rolled-back valves which fall off. [ Plate 9. 
Rare. In woods in the northern counties of England, in Yorkshire and northern Lancashire, 
in Scotland, and in Orkney; not recorded from Ireland. June — July. Perennial. 
V. LOOSESTRIFE. (LYSIMACH'IA. Linn.) — Flowers yellow in the British species, either 
solitary in the axils of the leaves, or in terminal and axillary clusters. Calyx of 5 sepals, rarely 
6, only united at the base, entirely free from and inserted below the seedcase (inferior) ; corolla of 
5 petals, rarely 6, united at the base and spreading out star-like (rotate) or cup-shaped or bell- 
shaped, inserted below the seedcase (hypogynous) ; stamens 5, rarely 6 ; carpels 5 ; fruit a roundish, 
i-celled, usually many-seeded capsule, opening at the top by 5 valves, which are often 2- or 3-cleft, 
or rarely by 2 valves. Herbs with entire, opposite, or whorled leaves. 
Flowers in clusters ; stems erect. 
(1) Tufted Loosestrife. (Lysimach'ia thyrsiflora.) — Flowers in axillary clusters; corolla 
lobed almost to the base into narrow segments with a minute tooth between each 
segment ; the stamens longer than the petals. 
(2) Great Yellow Loosestrife. (Lysimach'ia vulgaris.) — Flowers in terminal and axillary 
clusters ; corolla widely bell-shaped, lobed into broad segments, without any teeth 
between the lobes. 
(3) ^Punctate Loosestrife. (Lysimach'ia punctdta.) — Flowers in terminal and axillary 
clusters ; calyx- and corolla-lobes fringed with gland-tipped hairs, without any teeth 
between the lobes. 
(4) ^Ciliated Loosestrife. (Lysimach'ia cilidta.) — Flowers on long stalks in leaf-axils forming 
a loose leafy terminal cluster; stamens 10, only 5 with anthers ; leaves slightly heart- 
shaped, with the stalks fringed with hairs. 
Flowers solitary in the axils of the leaves ; stems procumbent. 
(5) Creeping Jenny. (Lysimach'ia Nummularia.) — Flowers cup-shaped ; calyx-lobes 
broad. 
(6) Yellow Pimpernel. (Lysimach'ia nemorum.) — Flowers starry ; calyx-lobes narrow. 
1 . Tufted Loosestrife. (Lysimach'ia thyrsiflora. Aiton.)— As just described. The 
flowers are small, ^ inch across, yellow spotted with orange, in dense clusters in the axils of the 
leaves, but always shorter than the leaves ; the upper part of the stem is very leafy and destitute of 
flowers ; the corolla-lobes are long and strap-shaped, with a minute tooth between each lobe ; the 
filaments of the stamens are united at the base into a short ring ; all the parts of the flower are 
frequently in sixes. The stem is 1-2 feet high, undivided (simple), erect, and downy ; and the 
leaves are stalkless (sessile), lance-shaped, and densely sprinkled with black dots. 
