378 



DICOTYLEDONES. 



number 2 is seldom met with. Most orders have a double 

 perianth ; chorisis does not occur, suppression is rare, and the parts 

 of the flower are developed in acropetal succession. The most 

 characteristic feature in the order is the free, one-leaved, as a rnle 

 numerous carpels (apocarpous gynceceum). The number of carpels 

 in some of the last mentioned orders dwindles down to 1 (e.g. the 

 fjerberidex and Myristicacese) . The carpels in Nymphteacefv become 

 united into one pistil (sjncarpous), a condition which we also find 

 distributed among the other orders. 



Endosperm occurs in almost all the orders (except e.g. Lanracew). 

 The nutritive tissue in Cabombefe and Nyiiiph&ete is chiefly peri- 

 sperm. 



Order 1. Ranunculaceae Nearly all are herbs (except 

 Clematis). The leaves are scattered (except Clematidefe), they 

 have a large sheath with broad base (no stipules), and are most 



FIG. 370. Diagram 

 of Aquilegia viilgaris : 

 sj) spur. A cyclic 

 flower. 



FIG. 371. Diagram of a dichasium 

 of Ranunculus ncer : a lt a 1 , and /3,, 

 /3 1 , bracteoles (the buds in tlie axils 

 of the bracteoles, a and a 1 , are con- 

 tinued antidromously). The flower 

 has cyclic calyx and corolla, but 

 acyclic ( ? " T ) stamens. 



Fic.372. Diagram of an 



acyclic Ranunculaceous 

 flower (only 3 stamens are 

 indicated). The spiral of 

 the sepals has a diver- 

 gence of | ; that of the 

 corolla and subsequent 



leaves f . 



frequently palminerved with palmate lobes. The flowers are 

 hypogynous, with most frequently a well pronounced convex re- 

 ceptacle (Figs. 374 7?, 380), $, regular (except Delphinium and 

 Aconituni) ; their structure varies very much ; in some the leaves 

 are verticillate, in others arranged spirally ; in others, again, both 

 modes of arrangement are found. It is a characteristic feature 

 that the various series of leaves (especially calyx and corolla) are 

 not so distinct or so sharply divided as is usual. The leaves of the 

 perianth are free, imbricate (except Clematidete} ; stamens numerous, 

 with most frequently extrorse anthers; gynoaceum free, apocarpous 

 (except NigeUa and partly Helleborus), with 1 or several ovules 

 (Figs. 373, 378, 379) borne on the ventral suture. The fruit is 



