426 



DICOTYLEDONES. 



with v air ate aestivation ; the 5 petals ticisfed in the bud and united 

 with one another at the base, and by the 5 apparently numerous 

 stamens (Figs. 445, 448), with the filaments united i>ito a tube, with 

 renifurm btlucular anthers opening by a crescentic slit (in 2 valves). 

 Carpels 3 oo united into onegynceceum ; the embryo is curredand 

 the cotyledons are folded (Figs. 447, 451) ; endosperm scanty, often 

 mucilaginous. Most of the plants belonging to this order are 

 herbs, often closely studded with stellate hairs. The leaves are 

 most frequently palmatifid or palmatisect. 



An epicalyx is often found formed by floral-leares placed close beneath the 

 calyx, in some 3, in others several. The median sepal is posterior in the 

 species without tpicalyx, often anterior in those which have an epicalyx. The 

 petals are twisted either to the right or to the left in accordance with the spiral of 

 the calyx ; they are most frequently oblique, as in the other plants with twisted 

 corollas, so that the portion covered in the aestivation is the most developed. 

 The corolla drops off as a whole, united with the staminal tube. Only the 5 

 petal-stamens are developed, but they are divided into a number of stamens, 

 placed in 2 rows, and provided only with /<Z/-anthers (leaf-segments, see Fig. 

 446; the sepal-stamens are completely suppressed); these 5 stamiual leaves 

 are then united into a tube, frequently 5-dentate at the top, and bearing the 



FIG. 415. Longitudinal section through the 

 flower of Malva silvestris. 



FIG. 416. Diagram of Alilicei rosea : 

 i the epicalyx. 



anthers on its external side. The pollen-grains are specially large, spherical 

 and spiny. There are from 3 to about 50 carpels united into one gynceceurn and 

 placed round the summit of the axis which most frequently projects between 

 them. There is only 1 style, which is generally divided into as many stigma- 

 bearing branches as there are carpels (Figs. 445, 448). The fruit is a schizo- 

 carp or capsule. Endosperm (Figs. 447 A, 451) scanty, often mucilaginous 

 round the embryo, which is rich in oil. 



The order is the most advanced type of Columniferffi ; it stands especially 

 near to the terculiacere, but is separated from these and from the Tiliaceae, 

 among other characters, by its 2-locular (ultimately 1-chambered; anthers. 



The sub-orders may be arranged as follows : 



