78 GKKANIUM FAMILY. 



3. FL'KRKEA. Sepals small petals, stigmas, and lobes of the ovary 3 ; and 



neiis 6 : otherwise like Limnanfhe-. 



4. Gl-'i; XNH'M. S B, the former imbricated, the latter commonly 



convolute in the bud. Glands on the receptaele. B, ;ilternute with the petals. 

 Stamens in monadelphous at the base, the alternate filaments shorter, but 

 u-uallv bearing ambers. Style 5-cleft. Ovary 5-celled, 5-lobed, the lobes 

 separating when ripe into r> two-ovuled but one-seeded carpels or little pods 

 which reiiiMin ham/ing by their long naked recurving styles as these split Off, 

 from below upwards, from a long central beak or axis. (Lessons, p. 112, 

 fig. 358. :;:>!).) Leave-, with stipules Herbage scented. 



6 EROD1UM. Stamen- with anthers only f>. Styles when they split off from 

 the beak bearded inside, often twisting spirally ": otherwise as Geranium. 



f 2. Flows someKltut irrryular, Geranium-like. Shrubby or fleshy-stemmed. 



6. PELARGONIUM. Sepals and petal- 5 ; the base of one sepal extends down- 



ward on one side the pedicel forming a narrow tube or adherent spur, and 

 the two petals on that side of the flower differ from the rest more or less in 

 size or shape. Stamens with anthers fewer than 10, commonly 7. Pistil, &c. 

 as in Geranium. Herbage scented. Leaves with stipules. 



3. Flou-ers very irregular, spurred, also unsymmi-trical. Tender herbs. 



7. TUOP.EOLUM. Sepals 5, united at the base, and in the upper side of the 



flower extended into a 1 .,ig descending spur. Petals 5. or sometimes fewer, 

 usually with claws : the two upper more or less different from the others 

 >nd inserted at the mouth of the spur. Stamens 8, unequal or dissimilar ; 

 filaments usually turned downwards and curving. Ovary of 3 lobes .sur- 

 rounding the base of a single style, in fruit becoming 3 thick and fleshy 

 closed separate carpels, each containing a single large seed. Herbs, climbing 

 by their long leafstalk- ; the watery juice with the pungent odor and taste 

 of Cress. Leaves alternate: stipule-' none or minute. Peduncles axillary, 

 one-flowered. 



8. IMPATIENS. Sepals and petals similarly colored, the parts belonging to each 



not readily distinguished. There are 3 small outer pieces plainly sepals, "" 

 one side of the flower ; then, on the other side, a large hanging sac contracted 

 at the bottom into a spur or little tail; within are two small unequally 2-lobed 

 petals, one each side of the sac. Stamens 5, short, conniving or lightly 

 cohering around and covering the 5-celled ovary, which in fruit becomes a 

 several-seeded pod : this bursts ela.-tically. flying in piece- at the touch, 

 scattering the seeds, separating into "> twisting valves and a thickish axis. 

 Style none. Seeds rather large. Erect, branching, succulent-stemmed herbs, 

 with simple leaves and no stipules. 



1. OXALIS, W(X)I)-S( IHUICL. (Name from (Jreek words meaning sour- 



suit, from the oxalates or " salt-of-sorrel " contained in the juice.) 

 # ^,'n/ii-i s/KrvV x, /Inn-iT/iitf iln'on'ili tin' mnniiH'i' : litl<t* broadly obcordate. 



O. Stricta, YKLLO\V W. Extremely common in waste or cultivated soil 

 and open woodlands ; stems .'!' - 12' high! leafv ; slender peduncle's bearing an 

 umbel iil'2-C) small yellow (lowers, followed by slender pods. (T) 2/ 



O. AcetOSella, Tiui; W. Common iii mossy woods N. ; the leafstalks 

 mul 1 -flowered scapes 2' - 4' high from a creeping scaly-toothed niotstock ; 

 (lower rather large, white with delicate reddish veins. 2i 



O. Violacea, VIOI.KT W. Common S., rarer N.. in rocky or sandy -oil ; 

 leal-talks and slender >cape from a scaly bulb, the flowers several in an umbel, 

 middle-si/.ed, violet. 2/ 



#* Cultivated in conservatories, from ('<ii><-<>t ('! //"/)<. 



O. Bowiei, a stemle species, with a small bulb on a spindle-shaped root; 

 leal'-ialks and few-llo\vercd scapes ('>'- 111' high ; broad obcurdale leaflets almost 

 2' long ; petals deep rose-color, I' long. 



O. specibsa is more hairy; leaflets obovate and scarcely notched, nun- 

 monh crim.son underneath, only I ' long ; scapes short, 1 -flowered; petals 1^' 

 long, pink-red with a yellowish base. 



O. flava, from a strong bulb send- up to the surface a short scaly stem, 

 bearing thick Hattish leafstalks and short 1-tlowered scapes ; the leaflets 6 - 10 

 and linear ; petals nearly 1' long, yellow, often edged with reddish. 



