Classification of Plants 345 



Order Gentianace.e. 



Flowers usually regular, perfect. Calyx 5-lobed, persistent. 

 Corolla 4-6 lobed, the limb twisted, remaining on and wither- 

 ing (marcescent). Stamens 5 on the corolla, alternate with the 

 petals. Carpels 2. Ovary 2-1 -celled, many-seeded. Placenta- 

 tion parietal or axile. Fruit a capsule or berry. Leaves oppo- 

 site without stipules (alternate in water plants). Flowers 

 arranged in cymes like those of Caryophyllaceae. Herbs, rarely 

 shrubs, with very bitter juice. Intraxylary phloem is found 

 in the stem. 



A. Leaves opposite. Corolla ttvisted in the bud — 



B. Flowers pink or purple^ rarely white^ ovary 1 -celled — 

 Chironia. — Anthers straight, very large, yellow. Fruit a 



capsule. Flowers very handsome. Growing near the sea. 



Orphium. — Anthers spirally twisted. Flowers handsome, 

 rosy. A much-branched shrub with long narrow leaves. 

 Common on the Cape Flats. When near the sea the growth 

 is very compact and the leaves become thick and- fleshy. 



BB. Floivers yellow or white ^ ovary 2 -eel led — 



Sebaea. — Calyx and corolla segments 4-5 ; sepals acute or 

 acuminate, keeled or winged. Corolla tube long or short, 

 lobes convolute, spreading. Stamens 4-5 inserted at or below 

 the throat, frequently with an apical gland and one or two at 

 the base of the anthers, within the tube, or exserted. 



Style filiform with an apical stigma and two stigmatic 

 patches towards the base. Seeds many, minute or larger and 

 ringed or frilled. 



Annual, biennial or perennial herbs ; stems erect or procumbent, 

 simple or branched, with wings. 



A A. Leaves alternate — 



Corolla in the bud with incurved edges. Water or marsh 

 p la fits, ovary 1 -celled — 



Villarsia. — Erect marsh-growing plants with entire alter- 

 nate leaves. Flowers yellow. Capsule i -celled, opening at 

 the top. Common in the Colony. 



Limnanthemum. — Floating plants with leaves on very 

 long petioles, shield-shaped or heart-shaped. Flowers yellow. 



