300 Plants and their Ways in South Africa 



Ranunculus. — Sepals falling. Petals bright yellow, each 

 with a scale at the base. 



Weeds with lobed or divided leaves growing in damp places, sending 

 out rhizomes or runners. Cultivated species become double and varied in 

 colour. 



Order Crucifer^. 



Sepals 4, in two whorls. Petals spread in the form of a 

 cross, often clawed. Stamens 6, in two whorls, the four inner 

 ones longer (tetradynamous four in power). Carpels 2, 

 with parietal placentation. A thin white partition grows up 

 between the carpels. The carpels usually split up from the 

 centre, leaving the placentas surrounding the partition. Fruit 

 a siliqua, silicula, lomentum, or a schizocarp. The stamens 

 have nectaries at the base which pour honey into the pouched 

 bases of the inner sepals. The flowers are often borne in 

 corymbs, which brings a number of flowers close together, so 

 that a good many can be pollinated in a short time. As the 

 flowers blossom the stalk lengthens, and so it forms a simple 

 raceme. The flowers are not subtended by bracts, as is usually 

 the case. Many garden vegetables belong to this order, as the 

 Cabbage, Turnip, Mustard, and Cress. 



Heliophila (" the sun-loving plant ") is a familiar wild 

 flower of this order. The flowers are bright blue, yellow, or 

 white. The pods are straight edged, or sometimes constricted 

 between the seeds, forming pretty bead- like siliquas. Delicate 

 herbs or half shrubby plants. About sixty species are known, 

 both Eastern and Western. 



Capsella is a common weed with a heart-shaped silicula 

 for a fruit. 



Lepidium is another common weed diff"ering from Cap- 

 sella in the smaller i -seeded fruits. There are several species 

 found in dry or shady waste places. The garden cress (Z. sati- 

 vum) is introduced. 



Brachycarpea is a handsome Western genus with large 

 purple or yellow flowers. The fruit is indehiscent, the carpels 



