338 BALSAMINE^. [part ii. 



seed, which is without albumen. The unripe 

 carpels are sometimes pickled, and used as a 

 substitute for capers. The whole plant has not 

 only the taste, but the properties, of cruciferous 

 plants ; and even the caterpillars of the cab- 

 bage-butterflies feed upon it. 



ORDER LII,—BALSAMINE^.— BALSAM TRIBE. 



Nearly allied to the Geraniums, and resem- 

 bling them, in the opening of the seed-pods, are 

 the beautiful plants contained in the order Bal- 

 saminese. The two genera best known in Bri- 

 tish gardens are Balsamina and Impatie'ns. 

 The common Balsam {Balsamina hortensis)^ has 

 a small green calyx of two sepals ; there are 

 four petals, one of which is drawn out into a 

 short spur at the base. There are five stamens, 

 each bearing a two-celled anther. The ovary 

 is one-celled, but it separates into five valves, 

 when the seeds are ripe, bursting wdth elasti- 

 city, and the valves curling inwardly from the 

 apex to the base. There are five stigmas, quite 

 distinct from each other, and appearing just 

 above the ovary, without any style ; and the 

 peduncles are simple and one-flowered. 



The genus Impatiens, which contains the 

 common Noli-me-tangere, or Touch-me-Not, 

 and other similar plants, though it agrees with 



