72 SOUTH AFRICAN FLOWERING PLANTS, 



5. The seed produces no permanent axial or tap- 

 root ; instead of it, or superseding it, adventitious roots 

 arise in ascending series from out of the base of the 

 stem, as seen in germinating maize or date. These two 

 plants develop a temporary tap-root. 



Division I. Petaloidece, i.e. the Leaves of the Perianth, 

 are petal-like, as of the Belladonna. 



The term " Perianth " is mainly used for Mono- 

 cotyledons, because the two whorls are mostly alike, 

 the parts being called ''leaves." The outer is some- 

 times regarded as the calyx and the inner as the 

 corolla, whenever there are marked differences be- 

 tween the outer and inner whorl of the perianth, as 

 in Orchids. 



Division II. Glnmacece, i.e. the leaves of the peri- 

 anth, are chaff-like, and called glumes, from the Latin 

 gluma, " chaff," as in Bes'tio, Sedges and Grasses. 



CLASS I.— DICOTYLEDONS. 



DIVISION I.— THALAMIFLOK^. 



Ranunculaceae. 



The Buttercup Family. 



This natural order or family contains upwards of 

 1200 species of 30 genera in 5 tribes. They are 



