XXIX. TllOPiEOLACE^. 199 



Obs.—Thc oliove arc iimontr the moro tliH(int;uishoiI uiul I'oimliir species of tliifl vafit and favorite genua. 

 Inniimernble vunuiies prodticucl iVoni seeds and pnipiit'iileu l>y cultiji/jH are e<iuiilly common and oilen of 

 Hiiperior beiiuly. iS'o fjeiiiis .seems i(j l)i; rc;^'.iriied willi siicti uiiiverHal favor lor Kreen-house plurita as 

 this. The specie.* and tlieiriutdiitudes of hybrid (■rr.iiioiis, prfidiiced by modern int'eiiuily, are cultivated 

 vvitli assiduous attention by nearly every luiiiily w liicli makes the least preleii.sions to tu^lc through- 

 out the civili/.ed \\ orld. 



Order XXVITI. BALSAMINACEiE.— Jewel Weeds. 



Herbs annual, with succulent .stem.s and a watery juice. 



Lvit. simple, without stipules. Flu. very irresrular and unsymmetricni. 



C'a/.— eJepais 5, deciduous, the 2 uiM'er connate, the lowest spurred or gibbous. 



Cor.— Petals 4, hypogyiious, united by pairs, or rarely 5, distinct. 



5.7a. 5, hypoijynous. Filainnits subulate. Anthers 2-celled. 



(h'rt. 5-celled, compound. ,b7/i'-///ff.v sessile. . „ .„ . 



Fr. capsular, 5 celled, bursting elastically by 5 valves. Sds. several m each cell. Embryo straight. 



Genera 2, species no. With regard to its properties and uses, this order is of no importance, but some 

 of its species are highly ornamcnUil. 



1. IMP ATI ENS. 



Impatient, with respect to the irritable capsules. 



8cpals colored, apparently but 4, the 2 upper being united, the 

 lowest gibbous and spurred ; petals apparently 2, each of the lower 

 being united to the 2 lateral ones; anthers cohering at the apex; 

 capsule often 1 -celled by the obliteration of the dissepiments, 5- 

 valved, bursting elastically. — Stems smooth, succulent, tender, sub-pellu- 

 cidj icith tumid joints. 



1. I. PALLIDA. Nutt. (I. noli-tangere. Michx.) Touch-me-not. 



Ld's. oblong-ovate, coarsely and obtusely serrate, teeth mucronate; 

 ped. 2 — 4-flowered, elongated ; lower gibbous scp. dilated-conical, broader than 

 long, with a very short, recurved spur; fls. pale yellow, sparingly maculate. — 

 (1) Wet, shady places, U. S. ! and Can. Stem 2^f high, branched. Leaves 

 2 — 5' long, I as wide, with large, obtu.se teeth, each tipped with a veiy short 

 mucro. Flowers large, mostly in pairs. Two outer sepals pale green, callous- 

 pointed, the rest pale yellow, the lower produced into a conic nectary, ending 

 in a spur i' long. Capsules oblong-cylindric, 1' long, bursting at the slightest 

 touch when mature, and scattering the seed. Aug. 



2. I. PULVA. Nutt. (I. noli-tangere. /?. Mlchx.) Jcwel-u'eed. 



Lvs. rhombic-ovate, obtusish, coarsely and obtusely serrate, teeth mucro- 

 nate ; pcd. 2 — 4-flowered, short ; lower gibbous sep. acutely conical, longer than 

 broad, with an elongated, recurved spui' ;/5. deep orange, maculate with many 

 brown spots. — In wet, shady grounds, Can. to Ga., more common than the 

 last, somewhat glaucous. — Stem U— 3f high. Leaves 1 — 3' long, ^ as wide, 

 having like the last, a few filiform teeth at the base. Flowers about 1' in 

 length, the recurved spur of the lower sepal ^' long. Capsule as in the last. Aug. 



3. I. Balsamina. Garden Balsamine. — Lvs. lanceolate, serrate, upper ones 

 alternate ; pcd. clustered; s/)?/?- shorter than the flower. — From the E. Indies. 

 It is one of the most beautiful of garden annuals, forming a showy pyramid of 

 finely variegated, carnation-like flowers. The prevailing colors of the petals 

 are red and white, but the former varies in every possible shade c ^' crimson, 

 scarlet, purple, pink and flesh-color. The flowers"^ are often double. ^ 



Order XXIX. TROP^OLACE^.— TRornvwoRTs. 



Plants herbaceous, smooth, climbing or twining, with a pungent, watery juice. 



Lvs. peltate or palmate. Fls. irregular. 



Cai.— Sepals 5. colored, united, the lower one spurred. 



Cor.— Petals 5, the throe lower ones stalked, the 2 upper inserted on the caly.x. 



Sta. 8, distinct, uneciual. 



Ora. of 3 united carpels. Style I. Stis-mas 3. 



Fr. separating into 3 indehiscent, l-seeded nuts. Sds: large. Albumen 0. 



Genera 3, species 40, natives of S. America. They possess the .lame antiscorbutic properties as the 

 Cruciferse. The fruit of the following species is pickJed and used as a substitute for capers. 



