GENERAL CHARACTERS OF PLANTS 23 



small, green, clustered, unisexual flowers. Stamens 4 or 5, opposite 

 the sepals. Ovary superior, one-celled. Fruit indehiscent. (The 

 Nettle Family.) 



71. Ulmace.i;. — Trees with alternate, distichous leaves, and perfect 

 flowers. Perianth of 4 or 5 parts, bell-shaped. Stamens 4 or 5. Ovary 

 superior, with one or two cells. Fruit a thin, one-seeded samara. (The 

 Elm Family.) 



72. CupuLiFER.^. — Trees or shrubs with alternate, stipuled, simple 

 leaves ; and small, green flowers. Perianth of 5 or 6 parts. Stamens 

 5 to 20. Fruit a nut, enclosed in a tough cupule. (The Oak Family.) 



73. Betulace.^!;. — Trees or shrubs with alternate leaves and small 

 flowers. Stamens 1 or more. Fruit small, indehiscent, winged, not 

 enclosed in a cup. (The Birch Family.) 



74. Salicace.e. — Trees with alternate, simple leaves ; and flowers 

 which generally appear before the leaves. Stamens one or more to each 

 scale. Fruit many-seeded, not enclosed in a cup. (The Willow Family. ) 



75. Myeicace^. — A small aromatic shrub, with alternate, simple 

 leaves ; and inconspicuous flowers. Stamens 4 to 8. Fruit a drupe. 

 (The Bog Myrtle.) 



76. CoNiFER.E.^ — Shrubs or trees with rigid evergreen, linear leaves; 

 and resinous juices. Male flowers in catkins. Female flowers generally 

 in cones. Seeds not enclosed in an ovary. (The Pine Family.) 



77. Orchidaceje. — Herbs mostly with tuberous roots, and con- 

 spicuous, irregular, perfect flowers in spikes or racemes. Sepals, petals, 

 and carpels 3. Stamens 1 or 2, united to the style. (The Orchid Family. ) 



78. Iridace.e. — Herbs with fleshy, underground stems ; narrow 

 leaves ; and handsome, irregular, perfect flowers. Perianth of 6 parts. 

 Stamens and carpels 3. Ovary 3-celled. Fruit a many-seeded capsule 

 with three valves. (The Iris Family.) 



79. Amaryllidace.^. — Herbs with bulbs, narrow leaves, and hand- 

 some, regular, perfect flowers. Perianth of 6 parts. Stamens 6. 

 Ovary 3-celled. Fruit a 3-valved capsule. (The Narcissus Family.) 



80. Hydrocharidace.^. — Aquatic herbs, with floating or submerged 

 leaves ; and conspicuous, regular, dioecious flowers. Sepals and petals 

 3. Stamens 3 to 12. Carpels 3 or 6. Fruit a berry. (The Frog-bit 

 Family.) 



81. DioscoRiACE.E. — A climbing herb, with broad, glossy leaves; 

 and small, monoecious flowers. Sepals, petals, and carpels 3. Stamens 

 6. Ovary 3-celled. Fruit a berry. Seeds 6. (The Black Bryony.) 



82. LiLiACE^. — Herbs with mostly narrow leaves, and conspicuous, 

 regular, perfect flowers. Perianth of 6 .parts. Stamens 6, Ovary 

 3-celled, Fruit a berry or capsule, (The Lily Family.) 



1 The members of the Pine family do not really belong to the Dicotyledons, 

 although their stems increase in thickness in the same way as those of our other trees 

 and shrubs. They belong to the Gymnospcrms (naked-seeded group), in which the seeds 

 are not produced hi ovaries ; but it is more convenient, for our present purpose, to 

 place tliem near our other forest trees. 



