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. XXVIl. GERANIACE^. 29j 



ov rudimentary, or in irregular flowers, 3 or more witliout antliers or wanting; 

 filainents either free and filiform, or dilated or connate at the base; anthers 

 with 2 parallel cells. Ovary usually 3- to 5-lobed, with as niauy cells, the 

 carpels aduatc to the axis up to the insertion of the ovules, and' often pro- 

 duced above that into a beak bearing the style or stigmas; stigmas as many 

 as cells, either raised on the style or sessile on the carpels, radiating from a 

 connate base or rarely entirely connate. Ovules either 1 in each cell or 2 

 inserted nearly at the same point, 1 ascending, the other pendidons, or several 

 lu 1 or 2 rows. Fruit either a lobed capsule, the lobes 1 -seeded, separating 

 from the axis with the seed, and elastically rolled upwards along the beak, 

 leaving the placentifcrous portion attached to the axis, or the lobes several- 

 seeded, remaining attached to the axis, but opening loculicidally, or, in genera 

 not Australian, the fruit is a berry or separates into indehiscent cocci. Seeds 

 pendulous or ascending ; testa thin or rarely criistaceous ; albumen usually 

 scanty or none. Embryo straight or curved, radicle short and straight or 

 long and curved or forked over the cotyledons. — Herbs or shrubs, or rarely 

 (in genera not Australian) trees. Leaves opposite or alternate, toothed, 

 lobed, or divided, very rarely quite entire. Stipules usually 2, Peduncles 

 axillary, 1. or 2 -flowered, or bearing an umbel of several flowers, very rarely a 

 C}une or raceme. 



The Order is chiefly dispersed over the temperate regions of the northern hemisplicrc, 

 very abundant in Sonthcrn Africa, with a few extratropical South American and tropical 

 j species. Of the four Australian genera, two are conmioa in the northern hemisphere, 



a third, although chiefly Amcrican,"is represented in Australia by species of an extratropical 

 ■^uropean as well as American type, and the fourth is almost entirely Soutli African. The 

 Order is xtvy closely allied to Zf/gophi/Ih^, 



Capsule hcakcd, the lobes 1 -seeded, and elastically rolled upwards along the beak. Leaves 

 toothed, lobed, or divided. 

 Iiowcrs regular. 



Anthers usuiilly 10. Tails of the cari)el3 glabrous inside . . 1. Geranium. 



Authcre 5. Tails of the carpels bearded inside 2. Ekouium. 



Flowers irregular, with a linear tube qt spur aduatc to the pedicel. 



Anthers 5, 6, or 7 3. PELAncoNiUM. 



Capsule opcninj,' loculicidally, the valves adhering to the axis. Leaves 



with 3 leaiJets . . . - < 4. Oxalis. 



1. GERANIUM, Linn. 



Plowers regular. Sepals 5. Petals 5. Glands 5, alternating witli the 

 petals. Stamens 10, all usnally bearing anthers. Ovary 5-lobed, beaked, the 

 l^eak tenuiuatlng in the style, with 5 sliort stig-matic lobes. Ovales 3 in 

 each cell. Capsule-lobes l-seeded, separating from the placenta-bearing axis, 

 enclosing the seed, and curled upwards oa a bug awn d('taolied from the beak, 

 ^'ind glabrous inside. Kadiele of the embryo turned back on the folded or 

 convolute cotyledons.— Herbs, rarely midershrubs. Leaves opposite or alter- 

 J^^tc, toothed,' lobed, or divided, the lobes or segments palmate, or rarely (in 

 species not Australian) piiuuite. Peduncles axillaiy or iu the forks, I- or 2- 

 nosvercd. 



