ALCHEMILLA VULGARIS. COMMON LADY’S
MANTLE.
ALCHEMILLA 'vulgaris; foliis reniformibus plicato-concavis novemlobis serratis, caule petiolisque
glabriusculis, floribus dichotomis corymbosis; DeC.
a major, foliis glabriusculis.
ALCHEMILLA vulgaris. Linn. Sp. PI. p. 178. Huds. Angl. p. 71. L ig h tf Scot. p. 120. With.
Bot. Arr. ed. 4. ml. 2. p. 202. FI. Dan. t. 693. Curt. Fl. Lond. cd. 1. Smith,
FI. B rit. p. 189. Engl. Bot. t. 597. Hoffm. FI. Germ. ed. 2. ml. 1. P . I. p. 79-
Willd. Sp. PI. ml'. 1. p. 698. Decand. Fl. Fr. ed. 3. ml. 4. p. 451. Syn. PI.
p. 334. Pers. Syn. P I. ml. l .p . 149- Ait. Hort. Kern. ed. 2. ml. 1. p. 274. Decand.
Prodr. ml. 2.p . 589-
ALCHEMILLA foliis serratis, palmatis, seminovemfidis. Hall. Helv. n. 1566.
ALCHIMILLA. Lady’s Mantle. Rail Syn. p. 158.
ß minor, foliis pubescentibus.
ALCHEMILLA hybrida. Pers. Syn. PI. ml. V. p. 149- Decand. Prodr. ml. 2. p. 589.
ALCHEMILLA pubescens. Lam.
ALCHEMILLA montana. Willd. Enum. ml. l . p . 190.
Class a n d Or d e r . TETRANDRIA MONOGYNIA.
[N a tu r a l Or d e r . ROSACEAi. Div . SANGUISORBEiE, Juss., Decand.]
G e n . Ch a r . Calyx tubulosus, tubo apice contracto, limbo octo-partito, lobis (bracteolis) alternis minoribus, in-
terdum minimis dentiformibus. Petala nulla. Stamina unum ad quatuor. Carpella demum sicca indurata
monosperma. Semen iriversum. . (Genus medium inter Sanguisorbeas e t Dryadeas.)—DeC.
Ge n . Ch a r . Calyx tubular, the tube contracted at the apex, the limb eight-partite, the lobes (or bracteolse) alternately
smaller, sometimes minute dentiform. Petals none. Stamens one to four. Carpels, at length dry, indurated,
one-seeded. Seed pendent. (Genus intermediate between the Sanguisorbece and Dryadece.)—DeC.
Ra d ix longe descendens, fusiformi-flagelliformis, fibrosa,
superne foliorum vetuslorum petiolis ves-
t ita ..
Ca u l is erectus, basi nunc decumbens, superne ramosus.
Folia radicalia petiolata, petiolis foliorum longitudine,
rotundato-reniformia, subconcava, subnovem-
loba, plicata, , serrata, in a glabriuscula, in ß pu-
bescentia, caulina multo minora,- fere sessilia,
suprema omnino sessilia.
Stipulée magnoe, connatæ, semi-amplexicaules, plicatæ,
inciso-serratoe.
Flores glomerati, paniculati, pedunculis pedicellisque
bracteati, bracteis foliis similibus sed multo minoribus.
Caly x breviter tubulosus, octo-partitus, lobis patenti-
bus, ovatis, acutis, viridibus, alternis minutis.
Corolla nulla.
St am in a quatuor, erecta, parva. Filamenta calyce
breviora, ad marginem disci carnosi perforati.
Antheroe rotundatæ, uniloculares, transversim
déhiscentes. Pollen sphæricum, atro-viride;
P istil lum : Germen ovatum. Stylus lateralis, e basi
fere germinis egrediens. Stigma capitatum.
P e r ic a r p ium : Carpellum uniloculare, monospermum.
Semen pendens.
Root descending deep into the earth, between fusiform
and flagelliform, fibrous, clothed above with the
petioles o f the old leaves.
Stem erect, sometimes decumbent at the base, branched
above.
L eaves : the radical ones petiolate, with the petioles
as long as the leaves, rotundato-renifo'rm, slightly
concave, with about nine lobes, plaited, serrated,
in a nearly smooth, in (3 pubescent; those o f the
stem much smaller, almost sessile, the uppermost
ones altogether sessile.
St ipu l es large, connate, semi-amplexicaul, plaited, in-
ciso-serrate.
Flowers clustered and panicled, with the peduncles
and pedicels bracteated, the bractete like the
leaves, but much smaller.
Ca l y x shortly tubular, eight-partite, with the lobes patent,
ovate, acute, green, alternate ones minute.
Corolla none.
Stamen s four, erect, small. Filaments shorter than the
calyx, placed at the margin of a perforated fleshy
disc. Anthers roundish, one-celled, opening
transversely. Pollen spherical, blackish-green.
PIS TIL : Germen ovate. Style lateral, arising almost
from the base of the germen. Stigma capitate.
Pe r ic a r p : Carpel one-celled, one-seeded. Seed
pendent;
Fig. 1. Single flower fully expanded. Fig. 2. Single flower with the calyx partly closed to show the smaller
segments. Figs. 3. 4. & 5. Stamens. Fig. 6. Pollen. Fig. 7. Pericarp. Fig. 8. The same cut open longitudinally
to show the seed :— all more or less magnified.
However common this kind of Alchemilla is in pastures in many parts of Great Britain, it abounds in the
greatest perfection in the subalpine districts : in the low valleys and in rich pastures by the sides of rivers reaching
its largest size and bearing the smoothest leaves. In proportion as it grows in more elevated situations upon
the mountains it becomes smaller, more downy, and the A . hybrida of Persoon.