THE COMPOSITE FAMILY. 163 



We will now examine the structure of the flower. 

 (1) represents a complete flower ; (1, 2, a) is the disc 

 on the summit of the inferior ovary, which has two 

 cells with one ovule in each. Unlike Garde'nia, the 

 placentas are fused together and become axile, (3) is 

 one of the four epipetalous stamens ; (4) is a ripe fruit, 

 consisting of two more or less globular halves (the two 

 carpels) covered with hooked bristles ; (5) is a vertical 

 section of one of the carpels, showing the albuminous 

 seed and curved embryo embedded in the endosperm ; 

 (6) is the embryo ; (7) is half a leaf, showing the point 

 at the apex. The calyx is wanting, or obsolete. 



General Description of the Gardenia and Coffee 

 Family. 



Herbs, shrubs, or trees. 



Leaves — Opposite, entire, stipulate ; stipules leaf- 

 like in the tribe StcllatcB. 



Flowers — Eegular; stamens, on the corolla tube; 

 ovary, 2-celled, inferior. 



Fruit — Various. 



Compositae. 



The Composite Family. 



This and the Grasses are probably the largest 

 families of flowering plants in the world. It is 

 supposed to contain some 12,000 species of nearly 



