XIII. CRUCIFERiE. 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 racemose^ bractless. 



1. C. GLAUCA. Ph. (Fumaria glauca. Curtis.') Glaucous Corydalis. 

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



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

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

 fusilorm. Stem 1 — 4f high. Leaflets nearly V long and ^' 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. 



(S^. branching, diffuse; lvs. glaucous, bipinnate, lobed, the lobes oblong- 

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

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



Lat./wwzw, 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, 

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

 F. OFFICINALIS. Fumitory. 



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

 into linear segments; rac. loose; sep. 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. CRUCIFER^.— Crucifers. 



PlanCi herbaceous, ver>' rarely siiffrutieose, with alternate leaves. 



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



Co/.— Sepals 4. deciduous. [across. 



Cor. of 4 recular petals, their claws inserted into the receptacle, and their limbs spreading in the lormol 



Sla. 6. -2 of them upon opposite sides, shorter than the other 4. [sepiment,— srf|r- two. 



Ova. composed of two united cariiels, with two parietal placenta? united by a membranous false dis- 



Fr. a silique or silicle usually 2-celled. 



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



Embryo, with the two cotyledons variously folded on the radicle. 



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

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



Properties.— The Crucjfcrn? as a class are of much importance to man. They furnish several alimen- 

 tary articles which are very nutricious, as the turnip, cabbase, cauliflower; several others are used as 

 condiments; as mustard, radmh, corh!e;iriii, A-c. They nil i-osscss a peculiar acrid, volatile principle, 

 dispersed throurti every part, oflcn nccomiianicd by an cthcrial oil abouiidinp in sulphur. They arc al-jo 

 remarkable for conlairiins more nitroein tlian other vecttablcs, tor which rca.son ammonia is eencraily 

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

 really poisonous, although very acrid. The root of Isatis tinctoria aflbrds a blue coloring matter. 



14* 



