142 



Geography. A single species, native of marshes and wet places in 

 Java. 



Properties. Unknown. 

 Example. Hydrocera. 



CXXVI. BALSAMINE^. The Balsam Tribe. 



Balsamine^, Ach. Rich. Diet. Class. 2. 173. (1822) ; Dec. Prodr. 1. 685. (1824); 

 Lindl. Synops. 59. (1829.) 



Diag:nosis. Polypetalous dicotyledons, vi'ith definite hypogynous sta- 

 mens, concrete carpella, an ovarium of 5 cells with the placentae in the axis, 

 an imbricated calyx, unsymmetrical flowers with one of the sepals spurred, 

 and indefinite ovules. 



Anomalies. 



Essential Character. — 5'e/)a?s 5, irregular, deciduous, the two inner and upper 

 of which are connate, the lower spurred. Petals 4, hypogynous, united in pairs, so that 

 apparently there are only 2 petals ; the fifth wanting. Stamens 5, hypogynous ; filaments 

 subulate ; anthers 2-celled, bursting lengthwise. Ovarium single ; stigma sessile, more or 

 less divided in 5 ; cells 5, many-seeded. Fruit capsular, with 5 elastic valves, and 5 cells 

 formed by membranous projections of the placenta, which occupies the axis of the fruit, and 

 is connected with the apex by 5 slender threads. Seeds numerous, suspended ; albumen 

 none ; embryo straight, with a superior radicle and plano-convex cotyledons. — Succulent 

 herbaceous plants. Leaves simple, opposite or alternate, without stipulae. Peduncles 

 axillary. 



Affinities. So nearly related to Geraniacese, of which it is, in the 

 opinion of many, a mere section, that it is only distinguishable by the 

 spurred calyx, polyspermous fruit, and unsymmetrical flowers. Tropseoleac 

 differ in their fruit, Oxalidese in their compound leaves and symmetrical 

 flowers. M. Kunth, in a memoir printed in 1827, was the first to point 

 out the true structure of this family, which had been more or less misunder- 

 stood by all previous observers. I had overlooked this memoir at the time 

 of the publication of my Synopsis of the British Flora, whence the old 

 erroneous character is given in that work. The following is the substance 

 of M. Kunth's remarks: — Linnseus attributed to the Impatiens Balsamina 

 a calyx of 2 leaves, 5 unequal petals, a nectary, a single ovary, a sessile 

 stigma, and a unilocular polyspermous capsule, opening in 5 valves. M. 

 de Jussieu describes it nearly in the same way, with the exception of 

 considering the capsule as having 5 cells, and the corolla as consisting of 

 4 petals, the lower of which is spurred. These erroneous characters have 

 been reproduced by most authors. Dr. Hooker alone refers the part 

 which has the spur to the calyx, which he consequently makes lo con- 

 sist of 3 pieces. M. Achillc Richard has come nearest the truth in the 

 Dictionnaire Classiquc, where he describes the calyx as consisting of 4 

 pieces, and the 4 petals united in pairs. The fact is, that the structure is 

 usually this : the centre of the flower is occupied by an ovarium, surmoimted 

 by a stigma divided into 5 acute lobes. Around this stand 5 hypogynous 

 stamens, placed in a single row and at ecjual distances from each other. 

 Hence the normal number of the parts of the flower should be 5. The 

 corolla, however, consists of 2 bifid petals placed right and left, with a wider 

 space between their upper than their lower edges. Upon comparing the posi- 

 tion of these with the stamens, it appears that each occupicjs the place of 3 

 stamens, whence it is impossible to doubt that they each consist of 2 soldered 

 together. On the other hand, the space between them, which answers to 2 



