BRITISH WILD FLOWERS. 
9U 
is frequently thought that the plant only occasionally ripens its seeds. Gisborne, in his Forest Walks, notices 
this peculiarity in the following lines :— 
“ Wood-Sorrel hangs her cups, 
Ere their frail form and streaky veins decay, 
O’er her pale verdure ; hut parental care 
Inclines the short’niug steins, and to the shade 
Of closing leaves, her infant race withdraws.” 
The Wood-Sorrel has a creeping root, or rather underground stem, which has a number of small tubers at 
the joints. The whole plant is strongly acid, and the poison called oxalic acid is made from the leaves, by 
soaking them in water till the fleshy part separates from the rest, as when this sediment is left to settle, a 
number of small crystals appear in it, which are the oxalic acid. The plant is a perennial, and it is found in 
woods and thickets in every part of England. The flowers generally appear in April and May. 
2.— THE YELLOW WOOD-SORREL. (Oxalis corniculata, Lin.) 
Engravings. —Eng. Bot., t. 1726 ; 2nd ed., t. 662 ; and out fig- stalks in small umbels. Stipules united to the base of the foot- 
6, in PI. 19. stalks. ( Lindley .) 
Specific Character. — Stem branched, procumbent. Flower- 
Description, &c.— This plant is only found in the South and South-west of England, and it is extremely 
rare; being only found in very moist shady places. The flowers are very small and yellow; but the fruit is 
large. The plant is an annual, and it flowers from May till October. 
CHAPTER XX. 
— -t- 
THE BALSAM FAMILY. 
Character of the Order. —Sepals 2, deciduous, with an im¬ 
bricate aistivation. Petals 4, hypogynous, cruciate, unequal; the 
lower elongated at the base into a spur. Stamens 5, hypogynous ; 
the 3 lower standing opposite the petals, and hearing anthers with two 
perfect cells ; the 2 upper placed in front of the upper petal, bearing 
anthers with either 2 cells or only one ; filaments thickened at the 
apex ; anthers partly connate, bursting lengthwise. Ovarium single ; 
(Balsamine-e, A. Richard.) 
style none; stigmas 5, either distinct or connate. Fruit capsular, with 
5 elastic valves, and 5 cells formed by membranous projections of the 
placenta, which occupies the axis of the fruit, and is connected with 
the apex by 5 slender threads. Seeds numerous, suspended ; 
albumen none ; embryo straight, with a superior radicle, and plano¬ 
convex cotyledons. Succulent herbaceous plants. Leaves simple, 
opposite, or alternate, without stipulae. Pedunclesaxillary. {Lindley.) 
Description, &c. —The only British plants contained in this order belong to the genus Impatiens. 
GENUS I. 
THE TOUCH ME NOT. (Impatiens, Lin.) 
Lin. Syst. PENTANDRIA MONOGYNIA. 
Generic Character.— Anthers five, of which three are 2-celled, and two 1-celled. Stigmas five, united. Capsule long, taper, tho valves 
rolling back from the base to the apex. {Lindley.) 
Description, &c. —All the plants belonging to this genus are annuals, with succulent, semi-transparent 
stems and thin leaves. They are very impatient of drought, and droop if not regularly supplied with water. 
The names of Impatiens and Touch Me Not, both allude to the construction of the capsule, which, if touched 
when ripe, instantly bursts open, and its five valves curling back, its seeds are thrown to a considerable 
