242 
BRITISH AVILD FLOAVERS. 
GENUS III. 
THE BLACK SALTWORT, OR SEA-MILKWORT. (Glaux, Lin.) 
Lin. Syst. PENTANDRIA MONOGYNIA. 
Description, &c. —There is only one species in this genus (G. maritime^ Lin.). This is a fleshy plant, 
with opposite leaves, and a coloured calyx, which forms a pretty cream-coloured flower. It is extremely common 
in salt marshes, where it spreads rapidly by means of its creeping roots. The plant is a perennial, flowering in 
■June and July. It has a salt taste, and cows are not only very fond of it, but it is said to make them produce 
abundance of milk ; and hence its popular English name of Sea-Milkwort. 
GENUS IY. 
THE PRIMROSE. (Primula, Lin.) 
Lin. Syst. PENTANDRIA MONOGYNIA. 
Generic Character.— Calyx five-toothed. Corolla hypocrateri- | to the point. Capsule ovate, dehiscing at the apex, with five or ten 
form; the limb five-lobed, usually emarginate ; the orifice dilated ; the i teeth. Seeds minute, very numerous, (j Undley.) 
tube taper, as long as the calyx or longer. Anthers usually tapering I 
Description, &c. —This genus contains many beautiful and well-known plants. They are all perennials, 
with showy flowers growing in umbels on long stalks from tufts of leaves close to the ground. The name of 
Primula is derived from the Latin word primus , in allusion to these plants being some of the first flowers of 
spring. 
1. —THE COMMON PRIMROSE. (Primula vulgaris, Hudson.) 
Synonyme.— P. acaulis, Jacq. Specific Character. —Leaves obovate-oblong, toothed, wrinkled. 
Engravings. — Eng. Bot., t. 4; 2nd ed., t. 275 ; and our fig. Stalks single-flowered. Limb of the corolla flat. {Smith.) 
1, in PI. 46. 
Description, &c. —The common Primrose is one of the most beautiful flowers of early spring, and few 
flowers have been greater favourites with the poets. The following lines are by Carrington 
“ A smiling knot 
Of early Primroses, upon the warm, 
Luxuriant, southern bank, appears 
Amid the sunny luxury of grass.” 
Shakespeare makes the Primrose a funeral flower for youth :— 
a AVith fairest flowers, 
AA'bilst summer last, and I live here, Fidele, 
I ’ll sweeten thy sad grave : thou shalt not lack 
The flower that’s like thy face, pale Primrose.” 
The Primrose is a perennial, and it flowers in April. 
2.—THE OXLIP. (Primula elatior, Withering.) 
Engravings. —Eng. Bot., t. 513; 2nd ed., t. 276 ; and our fig. 2, wards the middle. Stalk many-flowered. Limb of the corolla flat, 
in PI. 46. (Smith.) 
Specific Character. — Leaves toothed, wrinkled, contracted to- 
Description, &c. —The Oxlip is much less frequent than either the Primrose or the Cowslip; and it is 
