BRITISH WILD FLOWERS. 
237 
GENUS Y. 
THE YELLOW CENTAURY. (Chlora, Lin.) 
Lin. Syst. OCTANDRIA MONOGYNIA. 
Generic Character.— Calyx eight-parted. Corolla hypocrateriform ; the tube short, the limb eight-parted. Stamens eight, very short, 
inserted in the orifice. Style one. Stigma four-cleft. Capsule one-celled. ( Lindley.) 
Description, &c. —There is only one species in this genus, the common Yellow Centaury, or Yellow Wort 
{Chloraperfoliata). It is a curious plant, with brilliant yellow flowers, which are large and showy, and blue- 
green foliage, the leaves being perfoliate, that is, appearing as though the stalk went through them. It is found 
abundantly in the southern and midland counties of England, wherever the soil is calcareous, but seldom 
elsewhere. The name of Chlora is from a Greek word signifying a glaucous green. The plant is an annual, and 
it flowers in July and August. 
§ 2.— Menyanthece. Leaves alternate, usually toothed or divided. 
GENUS VI. 
THE BUCK-BEAN. (Menyanthes, Lin.) 
Lin. Syst. PENTANDRIA MONOGYNIA. 
Generic Character. —Calyx five-parted. Corolla funnel-shaped ; | furrows. Glands five, hypogynous, alternate with the stamens, 
limb spreading, five-parted, bearded internally, with a simple margin. | Capsule one-celled, two-valved ; the valves bearing the seed in their 
Stamens five. Style one. Stigma capitate, with from two to five j axis. Leaves ternate. {Lindley.) 
Description, &c. —There is now only one British species iu this genus. The name of Menyanthes is derived 
from two Greek words signifying monthly flower, because, as Sir James Edward Smith asserts, the flowers 
last a month. 
1.—THE COMMON BUCK-BEAN. (Menyanthes TRIFOLIATA, Lin.) 
Synonymes. —The Bog-bean ; the Marsh Trefoil. Specific Character. — Leaves ternate. Disk of the corolla densely 
Engravings. —Eng. Bot., t. 495 ; 2nd ed., t. 280 ; and out Jig. 2, shaggy. (Smith.) 
in PI. 45. 
Description, &c. —This is a marsh plant, which is common in every part of Great Britain, and which 
produces its very pretty flowers in June and July. It is a perennial, with a long round root, and a very bitter 
herb. A decoction of this plant is a powerful sudorific, and it was formerly thought a sure cure for rheumatism 
and many other diseases. 
GENUS VII. 
THE FRINGED BUCK-BEAN. (Villarsia, Vent.) 
PENTANDRIA MONOGYNIA. 
Lin. Syst. 
Generic Character. —Calyx five-parted. Corolla somewhat 
rotate, the limb spreading, five-parted, smooth in the disk, bearded or 
scaly at the base, with an inflexed margin. Stamens five, alternate 
with the segments. Style one. Stigma two-lobed; the lobes toothed. 
Glands five, hypogynous, alternate with the stamens. Capsule one- 
celled, two-valved, many-seeded (in the floating species indehiscent) 
the valves bearing the seed in their axis. Leaves simple. (R. Br.) 
Description, &c. —There is only one British species in this genus, and that was formerly included in 
