GENERAL CHARACTERS OF PLANTS 19 



small, green, regular flowers. Sepals and petals 4 to 9. Stamens 8, on 

 the disc. Fruit a samara. (The Maple Family.) 



20. Geraniace-E.— Herbs with lobed, generally stipulate leaves; 

 and consx^icuous, regular flowers. Sepals 3 to 5, persistent. Petals 

 3 to 5. Stamens 5 to 10. Carpels 3 to 5, surrounding a long beak. 

 (The Ci-ane's-bill Family.) 



21. Balsaminace-E. — Herbs with simple, 'alternate leaves; and 

 axillary, irregular, yellow flowers. Sepals 3 or 5, one forming a wide- 

 mouthed spur. Petals 5, four of which are united in pairs. Stamens 

 5. Fruit a capsule with five elastic valves. (The Balsam Family.) 



22. OxALiDACE.^i:.^ — Low herbs, with radical, generally trifoliate 

 leaves; and axillary, regular flowers. Sepals 5. Petals 5, united at 

 the base. Stamens 10. Ovary five-celled, with many ovules. (The 

 Wood Sorrel Family.) 



23. Celastrace.^.^ — Trees or shrubs, with opposite leaves ; and 

 small, regular flowers in axillary cymes. Sepals and petals usually 4. 

 Stamens usually 4, alternating with the petals. Carpels 4. Fruit a 

 fleshy capsule. (Spindle Tree.) 



24. Rhamnace.e. — Shrubs with simple leaves ; small, greenish 

 flowers; and berry-like fruit. Sepals, petals, and stamens 4 or 5. 

 Stamens opposite the petals. Ovary superior, three-celled, with one 

 ovule in each cell. (The Buckthorn Family.) 



25. Leguminos.^. — Herbs or shrubs with alternate, stipuled leaves, 

 generally pinnate or ternate, often tendiilled ; and papilionaceous 

 (butterfly-like) flowers. Sepals 5, combined. Petals 5, irregular. 

 Stamens generally 10, all, or nine of them united. Ovary superior. 

 Fruit a pod. (The Pea Family.) 



2(3. Rosace.e.— Trees, shrubs, or herbs with alternate, stipuled 

 leaves ; and conspicuous, regular flowers. Sepals 4 or 5. Petals 4 or 5. 

 Stamens many. Carpels 1, 2, 5, or many. (The Rose Family.) 



27. Onagrace.^. — Herbs with mostly entire, simple, exstipulate 

 leaves ; and conspicuous, regular flowers. Sepals 2 to 4. Petals 2 to 

 4, twisted in the bud, or absent. Stamens 2 to 4, or 8. Ovary inferior, 

 with carpels 1 to 6 (usually 4), many-seeded. (The Willow-herb Family.) 



28. Haloragiace.e. — Aquatic herbs with whorled leaves and 

 minute flowers. Sepals 2 to 4 or absent. Petals 2 to 4 or absent. 

 Stamens 1, 2, 4, or 8. Ovary inferior. Carpels 1 to 4. (The Mare's- 

 tail Family.) 



29. Lythrace.^. — Herbs with opposite or whorled, entire leaves ; 

 and conspicuous, regular flowers. Sepals and petals 3 to 6. Stamens 

 generally twice as many as i)etals. Ovary superior. Carpels 2 to 6. 

 Fruit a many-seeded capsule. (The Loosestrife Family.) 



30. Tamariscace^. — Shrub with minute, scale-like leaves ; and 

 lateral spikes of small, regular flowers. Sepals and petals 4 or 5. 

 Stamens 4 to 10, on the disc. Styles 3. (The Tamarisk.) 



31. Cucurbitaceje. — Rough, climbing herb, with tendrilled, pal- 

 mately-lobed leaves; greenish, dioecious flowers in axillary racemes ; and 

 scarlet berries. Sepals and petals 5, united. Stamens 3. Ovary 

 inferior. Carpels 3. (The White Bryony.) 



32. Saxifragace.e. — Shrubs and herbs with regular flowers. Sepals 



c 2 



