290 LArilKI. FAMILY. 



R. salicifolius, WHITE D. Salt marshes: 1 -3 high: pedicels inurh 

 shorter than the fruiting calyx ami in much-crowded whorls, forming a spike ; 

 val\es more triangular than in the foregoing and smaller, their grain very 

 Jarje ; rout white. 



R. verticillatus, Sw \Mi-D. Common N. : 3 -5 high; whorl- loose; 

 fniit-huarinr.' pedicels slender and chili-shaped, abruptly rctlcxnl : valves some- 

 what rhombic and with narrow hlunt apex, each hearing a very large grain ; 

 leaves thk'kish, the lowest often heart-shaped at huse. 



* * HV'/x mi/, front J-'iimpf in riilt. or inrxtc around: stem erect, 2-4 high : 

 lower li'i'-is nr unini' nl' tin in heart-shaped nt linse, all more or /ess wary: 



root COinntvnltJ i/il'mr <nnl x/iind/i -aluipid. 2/ 



R. GrispUS, CrRLion D. Leave* green, lanceolate, very wavy-curled, the 

 lower rather truncate than heart-shaped at base; whorls crowded in long 

 racemes ; valve* rounded, heart-shaped, nearly entire ; mostly gram-bearing. 



R. sanguineus, BI.O<H>Y-\ I.INKD or Ki.n D. Leaves less curled and 

 red-veined, lanceolate or ohlong ; whorls distant; pedicels very short; valves 

 narrowlv ohlong, one or more grain-hearing. 



R. obtusif61ius, Bi i TER D. Leaves little wavy, the upper lance-ohlong 

 and acute, lower ohlonu-heart-shaped and ohtuse ; whorls loose and di-tant ; 

 valves ovate, partly halberd-shaped, beset with some long sharp teeth near the 

 base, usually only one grain-hearing. 



* * * S'.indy sea-shore and river-hanks N. : 5' -12' high, spreading. 



R. maritimus. Minutely pubescent ; leaves lance-linear, wavy-margined, 

 the lower ain-ieled or heart-shaped at base ; whorls much crowded into leafy 

 spikes; valves rhombic-oblong with a tapering point, turning orange-colored, a 

 large grain on the hack and 2 or 3 long stout bristles on each margin. 



2. SOKRELS. Herliane acid: some leai-rs hullm d-shaped, others ii-i/h nit ire 

 narrow fit lus< : ilnnrs d<recious, small, in a terminal tiuki <l jHinic/e : valves 

 naked: ft. spring and summer. ^ 



R. Acetos611a, COMMON or SHEEP SORREL. Low weed in all sterile 

 fields; leaves lance-ohlong or halberd ->haped, the lobes or auricles narrow; pedi- 

 cel- jointed with the ilower ; ovate valves hardly enlarging in fruit. 



R. Engelmanni, only S. c; \\\, differs iii jiedicels jointed near the mid- 

 dle, nnd thin rounded heart-shaped valves becoming many times larger than 

 the akene. 



96. LAURACEJE, LAUREL FAMILY. 



Spiry-aromatic trees or .-linibs, die alternate simple leaves (with 

 entire, margins l>tit sornrliiiirs lulled) more or less marked with 

 minute pellucid dots; the regular flowers with a calyx of 4 or 6 

 sepals imbricated in two ranks in the bud. and free from the 

 ovary ; the latter is terminated by a simple style and stigma, is 

 ] -celled with a hanging ovule, and in fruit becomes a berry or 

 drupe. The stamens (in ours 9) furnish a special character, their 

 anthers opening I'.v uplifted valves! To this family belong the 

 clas-ieal Laurel or' Bay, the Cinnamon, the Camphor-tree, e^e. 

 * rioiriTss perfect, in axillary panicles. 



1. PKUSF.A. Culvx r,-p:irted, persiBtenl at the ha*e of the berry. Sinn, 



with anthers, 'the :5 outer of which are turned outwards, t'ie 6>Others inward; 

 also :j Clauds or sterile filament* forminu an innermost row. The t\\o proper 

 cell- of the anther with a lower ami an apper chamber, making 4 compart- 

 ments, each Opening hy a valve in the manner of 8 trap-door. 

 * * Flwt'rs irliol/i/ r runrh/ iHii'dniis. greenish-yellow, haves deciduous. 



2. S\ss\ri:\S. I'lo\\-er* in an open corymbed and peduncled clu*ter, with 



,,, arted calyx: .-terile ones with 9 stamens in :i rows, the filaments 



, -'the three inner-witha pair of yellow stalked viands on theirbase. Anthers 

 wuh 1 chambers a* in th.- inveeding. lertile tlouers with G rudiments 



Stann TtS an') an ovoid ovary, li'/cnming a dni|H-. 



