PHYTEUMA ORBICULARE. ROUND-HEADED
RAMPION.
PHYT EUMA orbiculare, capitulo subrotundo, foliis crenatis, radicalibus lanceolatis, extimis cordatis.
PHYT EUMA orbiculare. Linn. Sp. P i. p. 242. Huds. Angl. p. 97. With. Bot. A r r . ed. 4. ml. 2.
p . 241. Smith Fl. B r it. p. 240. Engl. Bot. 1 .142. Willd. Sp. P i. ml. 1. p. 921.
R oth Germ. ml. 2. p. 247. Decand. Fl. F r. ed. 3. ml. 3. p .7 1 1 . Fl. Gall. Syn.
p . 254. Pers. Syn. PI. ml. 1. p. 194. Alton Hort. Kew. ed. 2. ml. l . p. 354,
RAPUNCULUS foliis irais cordatis oblongis, caulinis sessilibus acutis, bracteis ovato-lanceolatis.
Hall. Helv. no. 631.
RA PUNCULUS corniculatus montanus. R ail Syn. p. 278. Ger. Mime. p . 455.
Class a n d Order. P EN TA N D R IA MONOGYNIA.
[Natural Order. CAMPANULACEÆ, Juss. Decand. Linn. Sect. 1. Corolla monopetala, regularis ;
Antheræ liberæ.]
Gen . Char. CWy-r quinquefidus. Corolla rotata, tubo brevissimo, laciniis quinque, longis linearibus. Stamina
quinque. Stigma tri- (seu bi-) partitum. Caps, tri- (seu bi-) locularis, foraminulis lateralibus dehiscens. Decand.
Radix lignosa, subfusiformis, hie illic fibrosa.
Caulis pleruraque solitarius, nunc duo ex eadem radice,
pedalis, erectus, striatus, foliosus.
Folia radicalia numerosa, longe petiolata, crenata,
lanceolata, glabra, nervosa, glaüco-viridia, ex-
tima cordata ; caulina lanceolata sessilia, basi
fere amplectantia, crenata, subhirsuta, superiora'
sensim minora atque subintegerrima.
Flores in capitulum subrotundum, terminale, erectum,
post florescentiam oblongum, bracteis parvis,
foliaceis, lanceolatis, viridibus, ciliatis suffulti.
Calyx pentagonus, quinquepartitus, dentibus ovatorlan-
ceolatis, acutis, marginibus ciliatis.
Corolla purpureo-casrulea, profunde quinquepartita;
laciniis linearibus,/primum cohærentibus, cur-
vatis, demum. post emissionem stigmatis patulis
et etiam tortis.
Stamina quinque. Filamenta alba, basi dilatata, ci-
u ; . liata. Antheræ oblongæ, apiculatæ, purpureæ,
biloculares.
Ovarium inferum : Stylus filiformis, hirsutus, purpu-
reus, ihferne viridis, basi apieeque glaber. Stigma
bifidum, segmentis primum erectis, demum
patentibus.
Pericarpium: Capsula inféra, pentagona, calycis den-
- tibus persistentibus radiantibus coronata; fora-
miuibus lateralibus, irregularibus dehiscens, tri-
locularis, loculis polyspermis.-
Receptaculum lineare, angulis interioribus loculorum
longitudinaliter affixum.
Semina numerosa, parva, ovata, subcompressa, pallide
- fusea, glabra.
Integumentum membranaceum.
Albumen semini conforme, carnosum, album.
E m b r y O parte inferiore albuminis, erectus, strictus.
Cotyledones parvæ, breves, semiteretes. Radi-
i . cula longa, inféra.
Root woody, somewhat fusiform, here and there fibrose.'
Stem generally solitary, sometimes two from the same
root, a foot high, erect, striated, leafy.
Leaves, the radical ones numerous, on long footstalks,
crenated, lanceolate, smooth, nerved, glaucous-
green, the outer ones cordate; the cauline ones
lanceolate sessile, almost amplexicaul at the base,
crenate, subhirsute, the superior ones gradually
smaller and nearly entire.
Flowers in a roundish, terminal, erect head, which
after the flowering becomes -oblong; supported
by small foliaceous lanceolate green bracteas.
Calyx pentangular, quinquepartite, with the teeth ovato-
lanceolate, acute, the margins ciliated.
Corolla purpureo-cieruleous, deeply five-cleft, the segments
linear, at first cohering, curved, at length
after the stigma is protruded, patent or even
twisted.
Stamens five. Filaments white, dilated a t the base,
and ciliated. Anthers oblong, apiculate, purple,
two-celled.
Ovary inferior: Style filiform, hirsute, purple, green
below, at the base and apex smooth. Stigma
tri fid, the segments at first erect, a t length patent.
Pericarp: Capsule inferior, pentangular, crowned with
the star-like persistent teeth of the calyx; opening
with lateral irregular apertures, three-celled,
many-seeded.
Receptacle linear, longitudinally fixed to the interior
angles of the cells.
Seeds numerous, small, ovate, somewhat compressed,
pale brown, glabrous.
Integument membranaceous.
Albumen o f the same form as the seed, fleshy, white.
Embryo in the lower part of the albumen, erect,
straight. Cotyledons small, short, semicylindri-
cal. Radicle inferior.
F ig .l. Unexpanded flower. Fig. 2. Flower expanded. Fig. 3. Stamen. Fig. 4. Ovarium cut open. Fig* 5,
Stigma. Fig. 6. Head o f Capsules, nat. size. Fig. 7. Capsules, nat. size. Fig. 8. Capsule, magn. Fig. 9. The
same, cut open horizontally. Fig. 10. Seeds, nat. size. Fig. 11. A Seed, magn. Fig. 12. The same cut open,
showing the albumen and embryo. F ig.13. Embryo.—All but fig . 6, 7,'and 10, magn.
Phytcuma orbiculare is found on chalky hills and downs in Hampshire (varying sometimes with a white flower),
and on Beacon Hill, Kent. In Surrey it is found in chalky pastures a t Leatherhead, Croydon, Chipstead, Hedly)
and Cheam ; on Epsom Downs, and in other parts of the county. In Sussex it is common on the downs, near
East Bourne and about Brighton. I t is the only species of the genus of which this country can boast.
The flowers have a degree of brilliancy which cannot well be imitated by art, and render this plant desirable
for a garden, where it will thrive in a dry soil. The radical heart-shaped leaves, which form one of the essential
characters of the species, are very fugacious, and the plant is as often found without them, after the inflorescence,
as with them. We do not find the observation in English Botany correct, that “ every part of the flowers remains
permanent, though faded, till the seeds are dispersed, or longer.” On the contrary, the ripe capsules, as we have
seen them, present a singular appearance, from their closely placed stellated heads, as in ourfig . 6.
Sir James Smith has well remarked how closely this genus is allied to Campanula, differing from it only in the
deep division of the corolla. France and Switzerland, especially the alpine parts, yield many species; they are
all characterized by having small flowers, «collected into a dense head or spike, and furnished with bracteas,