276 Order 31.— GERANIACE^E. 



2 L. pertnno L. Perennial Flax. Glabrous, with virgate branches ; lvs. linear, 

 acute, scattered; fls. supra-axillary and terminal; sep. oval, margins membran- 

 ous, shorter than the globous capsule ; petals retuse, blue, 3 or 4 times the length 

 of the sepals. — 21. Native West of the Miss, (perhaps not within the limits of 

 thi3 Flora). Not uncommon in gardens. Also nativo of Europe and Asia. 



3 L. rigichini Ph. St. angular ; Ivs. erect, rigid, linear, acute ; fls. racemed on 

 tho corymbous branches; sep. 3-veined. ovate-lanceolato, acuminate and, with the 

 bracts glandularly fringe-serrate, longer than the globous capsute ; styles more or 

 less united at lase. — Conn. (Robbins) to Iowa (Cousens), southward and northward ; 

 not common. Sts. 10 to 16' high, erect as well as the branches. Lvs. 4 to 8" 

 long, scabrous on the margins. Fls. sulphur yellow, 8" diam. Jn.. Jl. (L. 

 Booth Plauch.) — The union of the styles appears variable in degree, in specimens 

 which coincido in all other respects. 



4 L. simples. St. simple, with a small corymb with spreading branches at top ; 

 lvs. rigid, erect, linear-subulate, alternate ; fls. few ; sep. lanceolate, acute, scabrous 

 on the margins, 3-veined, shorter than the globous-ovate capsules ; styles distinct. — 

 La. (Hale). St. slender, 12 to 18' high. Lvs. 4 to 5" long. Capsules as largo 

 as Coriander. 



5 L. Virginiinum L. Si. strict, with rather erect, corymbous branches above ; 

 lvs. linear-lanceolate, acute, erect; fls. showy (5" diam.), all turned to tho upper 

 side of the branches; sep. ovate-lanceolato, mucronate, about as long as the de- 

 pressed capsule ; sty. distinct. — Woods and hills, U. S. and Can. St. near 2f high, 

 terete, glabrous. Lvs. 6 to 8" by 1 to 2", with ono distinct vein only. Sep. 

 1-veined. Jl. 



6 L. diffusum. St. angular, diffusely paniculate ; branches and veiny, lanceolate 

 lvs., spreading; fls. alternate, very small (scarcely 2" broad); sep. ovate, abruptly 

 mucronate, as long as the depressed capsule ; sty. distinct. — Wet prairies, Ind., 0. 

 Very different in aspect from No. 5, having the stem leaves twice larger (1' by 

 4"), tho branch leaves minute, and the flowers 3 times smaller. Jl. 



7 L. grandifldrum Desf. Fig. 202. Crimson-colored Flax. Erect, smooth, 

 branched above ; leaves elliptic-lanceolate, acute at each end, sessile, the lower 

 and radical lanco-obovate, crowded, petals broadly obovate, bright crimson. — 

 (D Gardens (from seeds lately distributed by the Government). Stem 8 — 10' 

 high. Flowers 1' diam. f N. Africa. 



8 L. trf gynum Sm. Lvs. elliptical, acute, mucronate, entire ; styles 3 ; caps. 

 3-celled. Groen-house plant with largo (1' diam.) yellow flowers, f E. Indies. 



Order XXXI. GERANIACEiE. Gerania. 



Herbs or shrubs swollen and separable at tho joints, with stipulate, palmate- 

 veined leaves and symmetrical, hypogynous, 5-merous flowers. Sepals imbricated 

 and petals convoluto in aestivation ; stamens mostly 10, and monadelphous, tho alter- 

 nate ones often abortive ; ovary of 5 sepals, each 2-ovuled, in fruit 1-seeded, coher- 

 ing to an elongated torus (carpophore) from which they separate, curving upwards 

 on the persistent style. 



Genera 4, species 500. Geranium and Erodium inhabit chiefly the Northern temperate zones 

 Pelargonium abounds at the Capo of Good Hope, and occurs in Australia ; and in cultivation is 

 found everywhere. 



GENERA. 



Btamcns 10,— all perfect. Corolla regular Geranium. 1 



— 5 perfect, 5 alternate imperfect. Cor. reg Erodium. 2 



— 7 perfect. Corolla irregular Pelargonium. 3 



1. GERANIUM, L. Crane's Bill. (Gr. yepavog, a crane; the 

 beaked fruit resembles a crane's bill.) Sepals and petals 5, regular, 

 stamens 10, all perfect, the 5 alternate ones longer, and each witb a 

 nectariferous gland at its base ; fruit rostrate, at length separating into 

 5 long-styled, 1-seeded carpels; styles smooth inside, at length recurred 



