724 



ONAGRACE^. 



[Epigtnous Exogens. 



Order CCLXXVIII. ONAGRACEiE.— Onagrads. 



Onagrae, Juss. Gen. 317. (1789) ; Spach. in Ann. Sc. N. 2 Sei: iv. 161.— Epilobiaceae, Vent. Tabl. 3. 307. 

 (1799;.— Onagrarioe, Juss. Ann. Mus. 3.315. (1804) in part.; DC. Prodr. 3. 35. (1828); Bartl. 

 Ord. Nat. 318 ; Wight Illustr. 2. 21. — ffinotherese, Endl. Gen. cclxv. — Circseacese, Lindl. Si/nops. 

 p. 109. (1829). 



Diagnosis. — Myrtal Exogens, with a plurilocular ovary, polypetalous or apetalous floivers, 

 valvate calyx, definite stamens, horizontal or ascending ovides, and flat cotyledons, 

 much larger than the radicle. 



Herbaceous plants or shrubs. Leaves alternate or opposite, simple, entire, or toothed. 

 Flowers red, purple, white, blue, or yellow, axillary or terminal. Calyx superior, 



Fig. CCCCLXXXV 



tubular, with the limb 4-lobed ; the lobes cohering in various degrees, with a valvate 

 aestivation. Petals generally equal in number to the lobes of the calyx, into the throat 

 of which they are insei'ted, regular, with a twsted aestivation. Stamens (1)4 or 8, 

 inserted into the calyx ; filaments distinct ; pollen ti'iangular, usually cohering by 

 threads. Ovary of 2 or 4 cells, generally crowned by a disk ; style filiform ; stigma 

 either capitate or 4-lobed ; ovules anatropal, horizontal, ascending, or peltate. Fruit 

 baccate or capsular, many-seeded, \\'ith 2-4 cells. Seeds numerous, without albumen ; 

 embryo straight ; radicle long and taper ; cotyledons shorter. 



The Onagrads, thus limited, are in general teti'amerous, the number 4 prevailing 

 through every one of the floral organs. In Circsea, however, the number is halved, 

 there being but two sepals, petals, &c., and in Lopezia the customary number seems to 

 be still further interfered with, for that genus shows but one stamen ; in reaUty, however, 

 there are two stamens, one of them perfect and bearing an anther ; the other sterile 

 and in the form of a spoon-shaped petal. Although the petals are in general of large 

 size and in a high state of development, yet there is a tendency among the species to 

 lose them ; I have seen an entire plant of Clarkia pulchella with every flower apeta- 

 lous, and Skinnera is always so. From M^Ttleblooms Onagrads are known by the 

 absence of pellucid dots and theu' definite stamens ; the Orders approach each other 

 by the genus Fuchsia, which has succulent fruit. 



They are chiefly natives of the temperate parts of the world, and especially of 

 America : a good many are foimd in India, and a large number in Em'ope ; in Afi-ica 

 they are scarcer, being mostly confined to the Cape, and to a few Jussiteas inhabiting 

 other parts of that continent. 



Their properties are few, or trifling. CEnothera biennis, and some other species 

 less commonly known, are cultivated for the sake of their eatable roots ; and the leaves of 



Fig. CCCCLXXXV.— Ludwigia Jussiaeoides. 1. a flower with two sepals and all the petals cut off; 

 2. a calyx and inferior ovary ; 3. a transverse section of the ovary ; 4. a seed with the distinct raphe ; 

 5. an emhryo extracted. 



