20 PAPAVERACE^. (POPPY FAMILY.) 



2. VANCOUVERIA, Morren & Decaisne. 



Sepals and jjetals G eacli, reflexed, with 6 to 9 bractlets. Stamens 6. Carpel 1 ; the 

 stigma cup-shaped. A slender j^erennial herb, with radical 2-3-ternately compound 

 leaves, and the open i^aniculate raceme upon a naked scape. 



1, V. hexandra, INIorr. & Dec. The long petioled leaves rising like the fronds of a 

 fern, leaflets 1 to 2 inches broad, j)etiolulate, obtusely 3-lobed, the margin thickened; 

 the minute flowers on a scape exceeding the leaves. 



Order 3. NYMPH-ffiACEiE. 



Aquatic perennial herbs, with peltate or deeply cordate leaves; solitary axillary perfect 

 flowers on long peduncles. Stamens numerous. 



Water-Shield. [Brasenia peltata, Vuv^lx.) May be found in ponds. Its elliptical, pel- 

 tate, floating leaves (green above and brownish-red beneath) and its jelly-coated stems 

 characterise it quite well enough. 



The Yellow Pond-Lily {Nujphar polysepalum, Engl.) is more common. 



Order 4. PAPAVERACEiE. 



Herbaceous plants (in one instance shrubby); the perfect flowers with sepals, petals 

 and stamens hypogynous and not in fives; the sepals 2 or 3, and falling when the flower 

 opens; the petals twice as many, in two sets; the stamens indefinite. In Eschsclioltzia 

 the sepals unite to form a miterform cap. 



* Herbs loith entire leaves, the iippermost whorled or opposite. 



Carpels 6 to 25, slightly cohering Platystemon. 1 



Carpels 3 united; 3 stigmas Platystigma. 2 



* * Herbs or shrubs loith divided or lobed leaves. 



Sepals 2 Meconopsis. 3 



Sepals united to form a cap Esclischoltzia. 4 



Shrub, with entire leaves Dendromecon. 5 



1. PLATYSTEMON, Benth. Cream-Cups. 



Sepals 3. Petals 6. Stamens many, with flattened filaments and linear anthers. 

 Torulose carpels at first united; stigmas free. 



1. P. Californicus, Benth. Slender, branching, 6 to 12 inches high; villous, with 

 spreading hairs; leaves 2 to 4 inches long, sessile or clasping, broadly linear, obtuse. 



