Nasturtium. ] CRUCIFERZ. 31 
the replum, from which the 2 valves fall away at maturity; more 
rarely the pod is indehiscent or transversely jointed. Seeds with- 
out albumen, entirely filled by the large embryo, which is variously 
bent or folded, the radicle either lying along the edges of the coty- 
ledons (accumbént) or placed along the back of one of them 
(incumbent). 
The Crucifers form a large and extremely natural family, comprising about 
180 genera and between 1500 and 2000 species. The species are distributed 
over the whole world, but are most plentiful in the temperate regions of the 
Northern Hemisphere, and especially so in southern Hurope and Asia Minor. 
They are rare in the tropics, particularly where there are no mountain-ranges. 
Most of them possess antiscorbutic and stimulating properties, and many are 
staple articles of food. Not a few of the cultivated species (and others) have 
become naturalised in New Zealand, as will be seen from the list of introduced 
plants appended to this work. Of the New Zealand genera, Pachycladon and 
Notothiaspi are endemic ; the remainder are widely spread outside the colony. 
* Pods long and narrow. 
Pods terete, linear-oblong, tumid. Seeds in two rows in 
each cell. Cotyledons accumbent .. 1. NASTURTIUM. 
Pods flat, linear, acute; valves opening elastically from 
the base. Seeds in one row. Cotyledons accumbent .. 2. CARDAMINE. 
Pods terete or obtusely 4-6-angled, 1-3-nerved. Seeds in 
one row. Cotyledons incumbent ae ye .. 93. SISYMBRIUM. 
** Pods short and broad. 
Alpine herb with stellate pubescence. Pods compressed, 
boat-shaped, not winged. Seeds 3-5 in each cell 4, PACHYCLADON. 
Pods compressed, oblong to obcordate, valves turgid, 
keeled. Seedsnumerous .. 5. CAPSELLA. 
Pods much compressed, ovate to orbicular, often winged. 
Seeds 1 in each cell 6. LEPIDIUM. 
Alpine herbs with sweet- scented flowers. Pods large, 
much eoramroseed, obovate, gory pee winged. Seeds 
numerous . ; .. 7. NOTOTHLASPI. 
1. NASTURTIUM, R. Br. 
Glabrous or pubescent branched herbs. Leaves generally pin- 
nate or pinnately lobed, sometimes entire. Flowers small, yellow 
or white. Sepals short, equal, spreading. Petals short, scarcely 
clawed. Stamens 2, 4, or 6. Stigma entire or 2-lobed. Pod 
almost terete, long or short; valves generally 1l-nerved; septum 
thin, transparent. Seeds small, turgid, usually arranged in two 
rows ; cotyledons accumbent. 
A genus of between 20 and 30 species, some of them very widely dispersed, 
but most abundant in the temperate and warm regions of the Northern Hemi- 
sphere. 
1. N. palustre, D.C. Syst. ii. 191.—A slender leafy branched 
herb with weak or decurnbent stems 6—20in. long, glabrous or 
slightly hairy. Leaves variable, usually lyrately pinnatifid, auricled 
at the base with the lobes toothed or irregularly lobed, sometimes 
