XIl. CRUCIFERZ. 159 
stamens 6, diadelphous ; filaments united into 2 equal sets by their 
broad bases which sheath the ovary; pod 2-valved, compressed, many- 
seeded.— Lvs. cauline. Pedicels racemose, bractless. . 
1. C. cuauca. Ph. (Fumaria glauca. Curtis.) Glaucous Corydalis. 
St. erect, branched ; /vs. glaucous, bipinnate, segments cuneate-obovate, 3- 
1obed ; pods linear, as long as the pedicels—@). A smooth, delicate plant, in 
mountainous woods, Can. to N. Car., covered with a glaucous bloom. Root 
fusiform. Stem 1—4f high. Leaflets nearly 1’ long and }’ wide, cut into 3 
obtuse lobes. Flowers terminal, on the subpaniculate branches. Calyx of 2, 
ovate, acuminate sepals, between which, placed crosswise, is balanced the 
cylindrical, ringent corolla, beautifully colored with alternating shades of red 
and yellow. May—Aug. 
2. C. aurea. Willd. (Fumaria aurea. Muhl.) Golden Corydalis. 
St. branching, diffuse; dvs. glaucous, bipinnate, lobed, the lobes oblong- 
linear, acute ; bracts linear-lanceolate, dentate, 3 times as long as the peduncle ; 
rac. secund, opposite the leaves and terminal; pod terete, torulose.—q@) In rocky 
shades, Can. to Mo. S. to Ga. Stem 8—12/ high, with finely divided leaves. 
Flowers bright yellow, about half as long as the torulose pods which succeed 
them. May—dAug. 
4. FUMARIA. 
Lat. fumus, smoke; from its disagreeable smell. 
Sepals 2, caducous; petals 4, unequal, one of them spurred at the 
base, filaments in 2 sets each with 3 anthers; nut ovoid or globose, 
1-seeded and valveless—Lws. cauline, finely dissected. 
F.. OFFICINALIS. Fumitory. 
St. suberect, branched, and spreading ; Jvs. bipinnate; /fts. lanceolate, cut 
into linear segments; rac. loose; sep, ovate-lanceolate, acute, about as long as 
the globose, retuse nut—A small, handsome plant, in sandy fields and about 
gardens, introduced from Europe. Stem 10—15’ high, smooth as well as the 
leaves. Leaflets cut into segments dilated upwards. Flowers small, rose- 
colored, nodding, the pedicels becoming erect in fruit, and twice as long as the 
bracts. July, Aug. § 
-Orvrer XIII. CRUCIFER A.—Cruvcrrers. — 
Plants herbaceous, very rarely suffruticose, with alternate leaves. 
Fis. yellow or white, rarely purple, without bracts, generally in racemes. 
Cal.—Sepals 4, deciduous. Hoe Shak [a cross. 
Cor. of 4 regular petals, their claws inserted into the receptacle, and their limbs spreading in the form ot 
Sta. 6, 20f them upon opposite sides, shorter than the other 4. : [sepiment,—stig. two. 
Ova. composed of two united carpels, with two parietal placentz united by a membranous false dis- 
Fr: a silique or silicle usually 2-celled. 
Sds. attached in a single row to each side of the placente ;—albumen 0. 
Embryo, with the twocotyledons variously folded on the radicle. 
Genera 173, species 1600.—This is a very natural order, larger than any of the preceding. The greater 
part of the species are found in the temperate zones. About 100 are peculiar to this continent. 
Properties.—The Crucifere as a class are of much importance to man. They furnish several alimen- 
tary articles which are very nutricious, as the turnip, cabbage, cauliflower; several others are used as 
condiments ; as mustard, radish, cochlearia, &c. They all possess a peculiar acrid, volatile principle, 
dispersed through every part, often accompanied by an etherial oil abounding insulphur. They are also 
remarkable for containing more nitrogen than other vegetables, for which reason ammonia is generally 
evolved in their putrefaction. In medicine they are eminently stimulant and antiscorbutic. None are 
really poisonous, os acrid. ‘The rootof Isatis tinctoria affords a blue coloring matter. 
