: The student will find, at first, some difficulty in mastering the 
CRUCIFERZ (Sond.) 19 
A common weed in gardens: the “fumitory.” My colleague Dr. Sonder 
regards the Cape plant as being probably the same as the F. muralis of Flora 
Germanica, by many Continental botanists regarded as a good species. 
a ' 
_Orver VII. CRUCIFERZ, Juss. 
(By W. Sonvzr.) 
(Crucifere, Juss. Gen. 237. DC. Prod. 1. p. 133. Endl. Gen. Pl. 
No. clxxxi. Brassicacee Lindl. Veg. King. No. exxiil.) ! 
Sepals 4, deciduous, Petals 4, cruciate, clawed. Stamens 6, of 
which 2, opposite the lateral sepals, are shorter than the other 4, which 
are placed, in pairs, opposite the anterior and posterior sepals. Ovary 
bilocular (with a spurious septum) ; stigmas two, subsessile, opposite 
the placentae, Fruct a two-celled, two-valved pod (stlique or silicule) ; 
seeds pendulous, without albumen. Embryo having its cotyledons 
bent back upon the radicle. 
Herbaceous, or rarely fruticose plants, with alternate, exstipulate leaves and 
racemose inflorescence. Flowers white, yellow, purple, brown, or sky-blue, usually 
without bracts. Juice colourless, generally pungent. 
_, A large, important, widely dispersed, and most natural Order, easily known by 
its cruciate flowers, and tetradynamous stamens. It is equivalent to the 15th Class, 
Tetradynamia, in the Linnean system. Nearly 2,000 species are known, comprised 
under about 200 genera ; but the generic characters of many require revision. 
dis which are 
distinguished by minute, and not always satisfactory characters. In many instances 
It is necessary (and is always useful) to be provided with ripe or nearly ripe fruit, 
im order to ascertain the name of a cruciferous plant; and special care must be 
taken to ascertain the relation of the radicle to the cotyledons, namely, whether the 
edges of the cotyledons face the radicle (accumbent) ; or whether the broad-side be 
turned to the radicle (incumbent) ; or whether the cotyledons be plaited, spiral, or 
doubly folded. In the S. African Flora the Order is very imperfectly represented : 
yet there are 6 genera, of which Heliophila is the most numerous in species, peculiar 
to the Cape. Many culinary plants, such as Cabbage, Turnips, Radishes, Cress, 
Mustard, Horseradish, &c., are familiar ; and many more may be used, if necessary- 
None are poisonous ; many are anti-scorbutic, and stimulant. Sulphur and potash 
are largely secreted in most. ; ee 
ARTIFICIAL TABLE OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN GENERA. 
A. Siz1qvosa.—Fruit-pod several times as long as broad ; (a Siliqua.) 
+ Seeds with flat, accumbent cotyledons (o =). 
IV. Turritis.—Seeds in two rows, @ 
o>} VY. Arabis.—Seeds in one row. 22 
| VI. Cardamine,—Seeds in one row ; pod opening with elasticity ; seeds 98 
not margined. 
¢ Seeds with linear, elongate, twice folded cotyledons (0 || |} || )- 
(°°) XTX, Heliophila,—Pod long or short, Linear, or moniliform, or lanceolate. 3 
| _**Calyx two-spurred at base, ; 
Pe XIV. Chamira.—Pod ota ea — 
ty ua compressed, two-edged, wi led valves, 
Ab. 
