Classification of Plants 



221 



Order Crassulace^e. 



Flowers perfect, regular. Sepals and petals 4-7. Petals 

 separate or united. Stamens as many or twice as many as the 

 petals. Carpels separate, as many as the petals, with a gland 

 at the base of each. Fruit a group of follicles. Flowers in 

 cymes. The plants are mostly herbs or half shrubs, living in 

 hot, dry climates with the necessary outfit for such situations. 

 Water is stored in the stems and leaves. The leaves are often 

 packed closely, as in Crassula 

 pyramidalis (p. 77), and have 

 a waxy or a lime-incrusted sur- 

 face. 



A. Stamens as many as the 

 petals — 



Grammanthes. — A small 

 annual growing in sandy soil, 

 with orange or cream - white 

 flowers commonly marked with 

 a V-shaped dark spot on each 

 petal. Stems wiry, with distant 

 pairs of leaves. 



Rochea. — Corolla gamo- 

 petalous. A half shrub with 

 handsome flowers, crimson, 

 white, or yellow. Stamens 

 borne on the corolla tube. Leaves opposite, sheathing or 

 joined at base. 



Crassula. — Corolla polypetalous. Shrubby or herbaceous 

 plants, with white, red, or yellow flowers. Flowers smaller 

 than in Rochea, arranged in cymes. Leaves usually opposite, 

 and connate often fringed with fleshy hairs. 



AA. Stamens twice as many as the petals — 



Cotyledon. — Corolla gamopetalous, showy, with an egg- 

 shaped tube and spreading limb ; either in cymes or racemes, 

 hanging. Succulent plants with opposite or alternate fleshy 

 leaves. Mostly Eastern. 



Kalanchoe. — Calyx 4-parted. Corolla with an urn-shaped 



• — Crass7(la arborescens. (From 

 ' Botanical Magazine.") 



