86 SOUTH AFRICAN FLOWERING PLANTS. 



The name of the family means " Cross-bearers," 

 because the four petals make a cross; but you must 

 not suppose that all flowers with four petals belong to 

 it. Of the seventeen genera in South Africa, eleven 

 are also English. The two following will illustrate the 

 family. 



Helioph'ila. — This genus is only known in South 

 Africa, and has sixty-one species. Observe how the 

 expanded flowers surround the closed buds in the 

 middle; and as fast as the latter burst into bloom 

 the stem continues to grow. Hence the old flowers are 

 left behind, and soon form long pods, so that you will 

 see fruit-pods below, flowers in the middle, and buds at 

 the top. Each is carried on its own little 'pedicel, all 

 springing from the main stalk, or peduncle. This 

 particular kind of inflorescence is called a Raceme ; but 

 as long as it is flat-topped, it is known as a Corymb, 



It is usual to find in most plants a tiny leaf-like 

 hract, or reduced leaf, from the axil of which (that is, 

 the corner between it and the stem) a flower arises, and 

 it is said to be hracteate ; but in Crucifers it is always 

 wanting. The inflorescence of Crucifiers is, therefore, 

 characterized by being ehracteate (the " e " meaning 

 " without "). 



Now let us dissect a flower carefully, and you will 

 find there are four sepals; the front and back ones 

 (that is, as you look at a flower while still upon the 

 peduncle) overlap the two side ones. Whenever the 



