1 6 CRUCIFER^. 



representatives here ; and on the plains of South India 

 none but the cultivated Mustard, Cabbage, Radish and 

 other vegetables. 



The chief features of the family are the very regular 

 arrangement of the four petals with their narrow upright 

 stalks and spreading blades ; the six stamens arranged 

 two opposite two sepals, and two pairs of longer ones 

 opposite the other two sepals ; and the two-celled ovary 

 with seeds on the side-walls not in the centre of the 

 partition as in all other two-celled ovaries. The peculiar 

 arrangement of the stamens is because each of the pairs 

 is formed by the splitting of a single rudiment. The 

 flowers are always in racemes without bracts to the 

 pedicels, and the fruit is a dry pod opening by the two 

 sides coming off and leaving the partition with the seeds 

 often still attached to its edges. 



There are usually two honey glands at the feet of the two 

 single and shorter stamens causing them and the corresponding 

 sepals to bulge out a little. 



The family is found all over the world, but chiefly round 

 the Mediterranean. Common garden plants are cheiranthus, 

 Wall-flower, Ger. Goldlack, Fr. Violier or Giroflee jaune ; 

 iBERis, Candytuft, Ger. Baurensenf; mathiola, Stock or 

 Gilly-flower, Ger. Leukoje rote, Fr, Giroflee. 



Species of BRASSICA are cultivated for their seeds 



(Rape and Mustard), their tuberous roots (Turnip), their 



edible leaves (Cabbage, Brussels-sprouts, Savoy, Kale), 



or their much enlarged inflorescence (Cauliflower). The 



common Watercress, Nasturtium oflicinale L., is another 



of the family. 



For distinguishing the genera importance is attached to the 

 shape of the pod, whether long and narrow as in the Wall-flower, 

 or broad and thin, and in the latter case whether the partition 

 is across the narrower diameter as in the Shepherd's Purse, or 

 the broader as in Honesty ; and further to the relative position 

 of the radicle and the cotyledons in the seed, whether the 

 radicle Hes along their edges as in the Wall-flower and Stock, 

 or across them when they are folded over it as in the Cabbage. 



