206 
THE LADIES’ FLOWER-GARDEN 
CHAPTER L. 
PRIMULACEiE Vent. 
Essential Character. — Calyx generally five-cleft, inferior or half 
superior, regular, persistent. Corolla monopetalous, hypogynous, 
regular; the limb generally five-cleft. Stamens inserted upon the 
corolla, equal in number to its segments and opposite to them. 
Ovary one-celled. Style one. Stigma capitate. Capsule opening 
with valves. Placenta central, distinct. Seeds numerous, peltate. 
Embryo included within fleshy albumen, and lying across the hilum. 
(Lindley.) 
Description, &c. — The commou Primrose gives its name to this order ; but many of the plants included 
in it bear very little general resemblance m their flowers, and can only be recognised by their botanical 
construction, and particularly by the curious form and arrangement of the seed-vessel. One of the plants included 
in the order (the Common Pimpernel), a British weed, generally ripens abundance of seed every year, and if its 
capsule be examined, it will be found to consist of a round ball-like case, the upper part of which falls off when it 
is ripe and shows the seeds packed so curiously and closely together as not to leave the least space between them. 
GENUS I. 
CYCLAMEN Lin. THE CYCLAMEN. 
Lin. Syst. PENTANDRIA MONOGYNIA. 
Generic Character. — Calyx campanulate, somewhat five-cleft, i Filaments very short, in the tube of the corolla. Anthers connivent. 
persistent; segments ovate. Tube of the corolla sub-glohose, tmce as Style longer than the stamens. Stigma acute. Capsule globose, 
long as the calyx ; limb five-parted ; segments very much reflcxcd. | opening in the middle. Seeds numerous, suhovate, angular. 
Description, &c. — The plants belonging to the genus Cyclamen are all very ornamental, and at the same 
time singular from the bending back of the limb of the corolla. The name of Cyclamen is from a Greek word 
signifying a circle, in allusion to the roundness of the leaves. Most of the species are hardy, but the Persian 
Cyclamen requires a greenhouse in this country. 
1 CYCLAMEN PERSICUM Mill. THE PERSIAN CYCLAMEN. 
Variety. — C. p. var. laciniatum Lindl. Specific Character. — Leaves oblong-ovate, cordate, sometimes 
Engravings. — Bot. Mag., t. 44 ; Lodd. Bot. Cab., t. 751 ; and reniform and cordate, crenated. Segments of the corolla oblong, 
our fig 2, in PI. 42. 
Description, &c. — This plant is not only extremely beautiful, but delightful for its fragrance. It is a native 
of the Isle of Cyprus, but it is also found in Persia and Asia Minor. It was introduced in 1731. It is 
decidedly a greenhouse plant, and should be grown in pots in vegetable mould and loam, taking care that it has 
plenty of air in summer, and that it is kept as dry as possible in winter, as if the plant is kept moist, the tuberous 
root is very apt to decay. There are numerous varieties, one of which is entirely without fragrance, and another 
has the flowers purely white ; but the most remarkable is the one figured in the “ Botanical Register,” the flower 
of which is of gigantic size, having the segments very much cut and not at all reflexed. 
