20 



Anomalies. Some species of Niebuhria, Mserua, Boscia, Cadaba, and 

 Thylacium, have no petals. The stamens are occasionally tetradynamous, ac- 

 cording to DecandoUe. 



Essential Chaeacter Sepals 4, either nearly distinct, equal, or unequal, or 



cohering in a tube, the limb of which is variable in form. Petals 4, cruciate, usually un- 

 guiculate and unequal. Stamens almost perigynous, very seldom tetradynamous, most 

 frequently arranged in some high multiple of a quaternary number, definite or indefinite. 

 Disk hemispherical, or elongated, often bearing glands. Ovarium stalked ; style none, 

 or filiform. Fruit either podshaped and dehiscent, or baccate, 1 -celled, very rarely 1- 

 seeded, most frequently with 2 polyspermous placentae. Seeds generally reniform, without 

 albumen, but with the lining of the testa tumid, attached to the margin of the valves ; 

 embryo incurved ; cotyledons foliaceous, flattish — Herlntceous plants, shrubs, or even trees, 

 ^vithout true stipulae, but sometimes with spines in their place. Leaves alternate, stalked, 

 undivided, or palmate. Flowers in no particular arrangement. 



Affinities. Distinguished from Cruciferse by their stamens being 

 often indefinite, if definite never tetradynamous, or scarcely ever, and by 

 their reniform seeds. They are related to Passifloreae in their stipitate ova- 

 rium, and fleshy indehiscent fruit with parietal polyspermous placentae; and 

 to Flacourtiaceae in the structure of their fruit, parietal placentae, and inde- 

 finite stamens ; from these last they are known by their narrow placentae, 

 exalbuminous seeds and peculiar habit ; and from the former by a number of 

 obvious characters. Mr. Brown remarks {Denham, 15,) that some species 

 of Capparis, of which C. spinosa is an example, have as many as 8 placentae. 



Geography. These are chiefly found in the tropics and in the countries 

 bordering upon them, where they abound in almost every direction. Of the 

 capsular species, a single one, Cleome violacea, is found in Portugal ; another, 

 Polanisia graveolens, occurs as far to the north as Canada ; and one or two 

 others are met with in the southern provinces of the United States. Of the 

 fleshy-fruited kinds, the common Caper, Capparis spinosa, a native of the 

 most southern parts of Europe, is that which approaches the nearest to the 

 north ; Africa abounds in them. 



PROPEaxiES. M. DecandoUe compares Capparidtae with Cruciferae in 

 regard to their sensible qualities ; and they no doubt resemble each other in 

 many respects ; for instance, the Capers are stimulant, antiscorbutic, and 

 aperient ; the bark of the root of the Caper passes for a diuretic ; and several 

 species of Cleome have a pungent taste, like that of mustard. The root of 

 Cleome dodecandra is used as a vermifuge in the United States. Cleome 

 icosandra acts as a vesicatory, and is used in Cochin China as a sinapism. 

 Dancer states that the bark of the root of Cratevagynandra blisters like Can- 

 tharides. Ainslie, 2. 88. But there is an exception to this in a plant called 

 Frutade £«rro, which is found in the neighbourhood of Carthagena, the fruit 

 of which is extremely poisonous. It is supposed to be a species of Capparis, 

 nearly allied to the Capp. pulcherrima of Jacquin ; and must not be con- 

 founded with the Frutadel Burro of Humboldt, found in Guiana, which is a 

 valuable medicinal plant, belonging to Anonaceae. 



This order is divided into Cleome;e, or the genera with herbaceous stems 

 and capsular fruit, and Catpare^e, or true Capers, which have shrubby stems 

 and fleshy fruit. 



Examples. Cleome, Capparis. 



