GERANIACEiEo (GERANIUM FAMILY.) 103 



except in Oxalis. Flowers mostly 5-merous and the sepals usually dis- 

 tinct. Leaves never punctate. An order not easily defined, and includ- 

 ing several strongly marked tribes or suborders which have been regarded 

 by many botanists as distinct. 



Tribe I. GERANIE^. (Geranium Family proper.) Flowers regular, 5-merous, the 

 sepals imbricate in the bud, persistent. Glands of the disk 5, alternate with the petals. 

 Stamens somewhat united. Ovary deeply lobed; carpels 5, 2-ovuled, 1-seeded, sepa- 

 rating elastically with their long styles, when mature, from the elongated axis. Co- 

 tyledons plicate, incumbent on the radicle. — Herbs (our species) with more or less 

 lobed or divided leaves, stipules, and astringent roots 



1 Geranium. Stamens with anthers 10, rarely 5. The recurving bases of the styles or 

 tails of the carpels in fruit naked inside. 



2. Erodium. Stamens with anthers only 5. Tails of the carpels in fruit bearded inside, 



often spirally twisted. 



Tribe II. LIMN ANTHER. Flowers regular, Smerous (in Floerkea), the persistent 

 sepals valvate. Glands alternate with the petals. Stamens distinct. Carpels nearly 

 distinct, with a common style, 1-ovuled, 1-seeded. at length fleshy and indehi.scent, not 

 beaked, separating from the very short axis. Embryo straight ; cotyledons very thick ; 

 radicle very short, -- Low tender annuals, with alternate pinnate leaves and no 

 stipules. 



3. Floerkea. Sepals, minute pistils, and lobes of the ovary 3 ; stamens 6. 



Tribe III. OXALiIDE^E. (Sorrel Family ) Flowers regular, 5-merous, the persist- 

 ent sepals imbricate. Glands none. Stamens 10. often united at base. Stigmas capi- 

 tate. Fruit a 5-cclled loculicidal pod (in Oxalis); cells 2 -several-seeded. Embryo 

 straight, in a little fleshy albumen. — Leaves compound (3-foliolate in our species) ; 

 juice sour. 



4. Oxalis. St}ies 5, separate. Pod oblong ; the valves not falling away. Leaflets usually 



obcordate 



Tribe IV. BALS AMINES. (Balsam Family.) Flowers irregular (5-merous as to 

 the stamens and pistil), the petals and colored sepals fewer in number, deciduous, the 

 larger sepal with a large sac or spur. Glands none. Stamens 5, distinct, short. Fruit 

 a fleshy 5-celled pod (in Impatiens) ; cells several-seeded. Embryo straight. — Tender 

 and very succulent herbs, with simple leaves and no stipules, 



5. Impatiens* Lateral petals unequally 2-lobed. Pod bursting elastically into 5 valves. 



1. GERANIUM, Tourn. Ceanesbill. 



Stamens 10 (sometimes only 5 in n. 3), all with perfect anthers, the .5 longer 

 with glands at their base (alternate with the petals). Stjdes smooth inside in 

 fruit when they separate from the axis. — Stems forking. Peduncles 1-3- 

 flowered. (An old Greek name, from yepai/os, a crane ; the long fruit-bearing 

 beak thought to resemble the bill of that bird.) 



* Bootsfock perennial. 



1. G. macul^tum, Lo (Wild Cranesbill.) Stem erect, hairy ; leaves 

 about 5-parted, the wedge-shaped divisions lobed and cut at the end ; sepals 

 slender-pointed; petals entire, light purple, bearded on the claw (|' long). — 

 Open woods and fields. April -July. — Leaves somewhat blotched with 

 whitish as they grow old. 



* * Root biennial or annual ; floioers small. 

 °»- Leaves ternately much-dissected ^ heavy scented. 



2. G. Roberti^num, L, (Herb Robert.) Sparsely hairy, diffuse, 

 strong-scented ; leaves 3-divided or pedately 5-divided, the divisions twice pin- 



