Page:The Botany of the Antarctic Voyage.djvu/285

Falklands, etc.] that parallel. One of the thirteen British species, G. molle, grows in the Shetland Islands. The Gerania abound ou the lofty mountains of the tropics, at elevations where the climate is temperate, proceeding upwards to near the verge of perpetual snow. Professor Jameson states that three grow on the Andes of Columbia, between 12,000 and 1-1,000 feet, while on the Himalayan mountains only one species is seen below 5,000 feet, between which height and 12,000 the genus is limited.

X. OXALIDE.E, DC.

1. OXALIS, L.

1. Oxalis Magellanica, Forst. ; acaulis, pumila, raclice crasso elongato squamoso, foliis trifoliolatis rotundato-obcordatis carnosiuseulis subtus pallidioribus, scapo valido petiolis sequilongo infra florem bibracteolato, sepalis late oblongis obtusis petalis albidis l brevioribus. O. Magellanica, Forst. Comm. Goett. vol. ix-p. 33. DC. Prodi: vol. i. p. 700.

Hab. CapeTres Montes, Patch cove, 2000 feet; C. Darwin, Esq. Hermite Island, at the level of the sea; J.D.II.

Radix seu rhizoma uncialis, crassa, descendens, squamis embranaeeis dense obtecta, radiculas fibrosas hie illic emittens. Petioli imc. longi, glaberrimi v. parce pilosi, basi supra stipulam vaginantem articulati ; stipulis latiusculis, membranaeeis, sursum in auriculas duas productis. Foliola vix unc. longa, supra laete viridia, subtus pallidiora, glaucescentia, sub lente pimctulata, utrinque lsevia, glaberrima. Pedunculus erectus, petiolo sequilongus, bracteolis majusculis subulatis. Sepala glaberrima, retusa v. obscure triloba. Petala obovata, albida, unc. longa. Stamina 10. Sti/li 5.

A very pretty little species, one of the smallest of the genus, nearly allied to the common Wood-sorrel of England, O. Acetosella. The leaves, as in all the Oxalides, have a very pleasant acid taste, but are too small to be employed, like those of the following, for any useful purpose.

2. Oxalis enneaphylla, Cav.; acaulis, rhizomate crasso repente bulbifero squamoso, foliis longe petiolatis 9-20 foliolatis, foliolis radiantibus plus rninusve pubescentibus cuneato-obcordatis bilobis, pedunculis petiolo sequilongis unifloris bibracteolatis, floribus amplis, sepalis sericeis villosisve apice interdum bipmictatis, stamiiiibus elongatis stylos hirsutos capitatos superantibus. O. enneajihylla, Cav. Ic. vol. v. p. 7. t. 411. Gaud, in Ann. Sc. Nat. vol. v. p. 105. et in Freyc. toy. p. 137. If Urville, in Mem. Soc. Linn. Paris. vol. iv. p. 616. DC. Prodr. vol. i. p. 702. Hook. Icon. Plant, t. 494. Vinaigrette, Pernetty, Toy. vol. ii. p. 54.

Var. ft pumita ; min or, tota pubescens. O. pumila, D' TJrv. 1. c. p. 616. Gaud, in Freyc. Toy. 1. c.

Hab. Falkland Islands ; abundant, especially near the sea.

Rhkoma descendens deinde horizontale, 1-2-unciale, crassitie pollicis, simplex v. ramosum, bulbosum, basibus petiolorum stipulisque scariosis obtectum, apicem versus ascendens, dense tomeutosum. Folia pluriina ; petioli 4—6 unc. longi, glabriusculi v. parce pilosi, supra stipulam obscure articulati; stijiula lineares, scariosae, rufo-brunnere, saepe tomento marginatse ; foliola horizontaliter radiantia, ssepissime serie duplici inserta, pilis fulWs sericea v. glabriuscula, carnosiuscula. Peditnculi petiolis subsimiles, sed supra medium bracteolati, bracteolis scariosis v. interduni villosis. Sepala oblonga, obtusa v. subacuta, rarius apicem versus bipunctata. Petala sepalis ter longiora, fere uncialia, obovato-cimeata, albida v. rosea, pulcherrime puiqiui-eo-venosa. Stamina 10, alternis brevissimis. Styli 5, stigmatibus capitatis terminati. Capsula sericea.

The pride of the Falklands, and peculiar to that group of Islands, where it grows in such abundance on the