XIII. CRUCIFER^. 159 



stamens 6, diadelphous ; filaments united into 2 equal sets by their 

 broad bases which sheath the ovary ; pod 2-valved, compressed, many- 

 seeded. — Lvs. cauline. Pedicels raceniose, braciless. 



1. C. GLAUCA. Ph. (Furaaria glauca. Curtis.) Glaucous Corydalis. 



St. erect, branched ; lvs. glaucous, bipinnate, segments cuneate-obovate, 3- 

 lobed ; jwds linear, as long as the pedicels. — (g). A smooth, delicate plant, in 

 mountainous woods, Can. to N. Car., covered with a glaucous bloom. Root 

 fusitorm. Stem 1 — If high. Leaflets nearly 1' long and i' wide, cut into 3 

 obtuse lobes. Flowers terminal, on the subpaniculate branches. Calyx of 2, 

 ovate, acuminate sepals, between which, placed crosswise, is balanced the 

 cylindrical, ringent corolla, beautifully colored with alternating shades of red 

 and yellow. May — Aug. 



2. C. AUREA. Willd. (Fumaria aurea. Muhl.) Golden Corydalis. 



St. branching, diffuse; lvs. glaucous, bipinnate, lobed, the lobes oblong- 

 linear, acute ; bracts linear-lanceolate, dentate, 3 times as long a.s the peduncle ; 

 roc. secund, opposite the leaves and terminal ; pod terete, torulose. — (i) In rocky 

 shades. Can. to Mo. S. to Ga. Stem 8 — 12' high, with finely divided leaves. 

 Flowers bright yellow, about half as long as the torulose pods which succeed 

 them. May — Aug. 



4. FUMARIA. 

 IM.ftfimvs, smoke ; from its disagreeable smell. 



Sepals 2, caducous ; petals 4, unequal, one of them spurred at the 

 base, filaments in 2 sets each with 3 anthers ; nut ovoid or globose, 

 I -seeded and valveless. — Lvs. cauline^ finely dissected. 



F. OFnciNALis. Fumitory. 



St. suberect, branched, and spreading ; lvs. bipinnate ; Ifts. lanceolate, cut 

 into linear segments; roc. loose; scp. ovate-lanceolate, acute, about as long as 

 the globose, retuse nut. — A small, handsome plant, in sandy fields and about 

 gardens, introduced from Europe. Stem 10 — 15' high, smooth as well as the 

 leaves. Leaflets cut into segments dilated upwards. Flowers small, rose- 

 colored, nodding, the pedicels becoming erect in fruit, and twice as long as the 

 bracts. July, Aug. ^ 



Order XIII. CRUCIFEK^.— Crucifers. 



Plants herbaceous, very rarely siiflruticose, with alternate leaves. 



Fls. yellow or white, rarely purple, without bracts, generally in racemes. 



Ca?.— Sepals 4, deciduous. . [a cross. 



Cot. of 4 regular petals, their claws inserted into the receptacle, and their limbs spreading in the form ot 



Sta. 6, 2 of them upon opposite sides, shorter than the other 4. [sepiment,— sJig'. two. 



Ova. composed of two united carpels, with two parietal placentae united by a membranous lUlse dis- 



Fr. a silique or silicle usually 2celled. 



Sds. attached in a single row to each side of the placenta' ;— albumen 0. 



hnibnjn, witli the two cotyledons variously folded on the radicle. 



Genera 173, species 1600.— This is a very natural order, larger than any of the preceding. The greater 

 part of the species are found in the temperate zones. About lOO are peculiar to this comment. 



Properties.— The Crucifera- as a class are of much importance to man. They fiiriiisli several alimen- 

 tary articles which are very nutricious, as the turnip, cabbage, cauliflower; severa others are used as 

 condiments; as mustard, radish, cochlearia, &c. They all possess a peculiar acrid, volalile pnnciple, 

 dispersed through every part, often accompanied by an etherial oil abounding in sulphur. They are also 

 remarkable for containing more nitrogen than other veeetables, for which reason ammonia is generally 

 evolved in their putrefaction. In medicine they are eminently stimulant and antiscorbutic. None are 

 reaily poisonous, although very acrid. The root of Isatis tinctoria ailbrds a blue coloring matter. 



14* 



