82 viOLACE^. (violet family.) 



1. I. polygalaefolium, Vent. Stems low, from a woody base ; leaves 

 linear to oblauceolate, or the lower obovate, entire, the stipules leaf-like or 

 small or none ; flowers solitary, nodding, 2" long, white. (I. lineare, Ton\) 



— Kan. and southwestward. 



Order ]5. CARYOPHYLLACE^:. (Pink Family.) 



• Herbs, tvith opposite entire leaves, symmetrical A- b-merous flowers, icith 

 or without petals ; the distinct stamens no more than twice the number of the 

 sepals, either hypogynous or peri gy nous ; styles 2-5 (or rarely united into 

 one} ; seeds several or usually many, attached to the base or to the central 

 column of the 1-celled (i^arely 3 - 5-celled) pod, with a slender embryo coiled 

 or curved around the outside of mealy albumen, in Dianthus nearly straight. 



— Bland herbs ; the stems usually swollen at the joints ; uppermost 

 leaves rarely alternate. Leaves often united at the base. Calyx per- 

 sistent. Styles stigmatic along the inside. Seeds ampliitropous or 

 campylotropous. 



Tribe I. SILENE.^. Sepals united into a tube or cup. Petals (mostly convolute in 

 the bud) and stamens (10) borne on the stipe or stalk of the ovary, the former with slen- 

 der claws, to the base of which the corresponding filaments often adhere, included in 

 the calyx-tube. Seeds numerous. — Stipules none. Flowers often large and showy. 



* Calyx with scaly bractlets or small leaves at the base. Seeds flattened on the back, attached 

 by their face ; embryo nearly straight 



1. Dianthus. Calyx terete, mostly cylindrical. Styles 2. 



* * Calyx naked. Seeds globular or kidney-shaped ; embryo curved or coiled. 



2. Gypsopliila. CaljTC top-shaped or campanulate. Pod deeply 4-valved Styles 2. 



3. Sapoiiaria. Calyx oblong-cylindrical, obscurely uerved, terete or 5-angled. Pod shortly 



4-valved. Styles 2. 



4. Silene. Calyx 5-toothed, 10-ncrved. Styles 3. 



5. L,ychnis. Calyx 5-toothed, 10-nerved. Styles 5, rarely 4. 



Tribe II. ALSINEJE. Sepals distinct or nearly so, imbricated in the bud. Petals 

 when present without claws, mostly imbricated, and with the stamens inserted at the 

 base of the sessile ovary, or into a little disk. Pod splitting into valves or teeth, several - 

 many-seeded. Stamens opposite the sepals, when not more in number. — Low herbs. 



* Stipules none. 



■•- Styles opposite the sepals, or, when fewer, opposite those which are exterior in the bud. 

 ++ Pod short, splitting into as many valves as styles ; valves often bifid or 2-parted. 



6. Arenaria. Petals entire. Styles usually 3. Valves of the pod entire, bifid, or 2-parted, 



7. Stellaria. Petals 2-cleft or none. Styles usually 3. Valves bifid or 2-parted. 



++ Pod cylindrical, dehiscent by twice as many equal teeth as styles. 



8. Holosteum. Petals denticulate or notched. Stj'les usually 3. Seeds fixed by the 



face. 



9. Cerastiuin. Petals notched or 2-cleft. Styles 5 or 4. Seeds fixed edgewise. 



•t- t- Styles alternate with the sepals. Stamens as many, or twice as many. 



10. Sag^ina. Petals 4 or 5, entix*e, or none. Styles 4 or 5. Pod short, 4- 5-valved. 



* * Stipules present. Pod short. 



11. Buda> Styles 3. Pod 3-valved. Leaves opposite. 



12 Spergula. Styles 5- Valves of the ]iod opposite the sepals. Leaves whorled. 



