CARYOPHYLLACE. 463 
celled, enclosed in the calyx, and dehiscing in a septicidal 
manner. Seeds numerous, minute ; embryo straight, erect, in 
the middle of mealy albumen. 
Distribution and Numbers.—The plants of this order are 
scattered over the globe, except in tropical India and North 
America, but they chiefly occur in the south of Europe and 
north of Africa, Illustrative Genera:—Frankenia, Liv. ; 
Beatsonia, Roxb. There are about 24 species. 
Properties and Uses.—Unimportant.) They have been reputed 
mucilaginous and slightly aromatic. The leaves of a species of 
Beatsonia are used at St. Helena as a substitute for tea. 
Cohort 4. Caryophyllinex. — Gyncecium syncarpous ; ovary 
ultimately 1-celled, with free central placentation, or very 
rarely parietal. 
Order 1. CARYOPHYLLACES, the Pink Order. —C haracter.— 
Herbs. Stems swollen at the nodes. Leaves opposite, entire, 
exstipulate, or with small membranous stipules, often connate 
at their base. Inflorescence cymose (fig. 434). Flowers gene- 
rally hermaphrodite, or rarely unisexual. Sepals 4 or 5 (fig. 
908), distinct or united into a tube (fig. 460), persistent. 
Petals equal in number to the sepals (jig. 908), hypogynous, 
unguiculate (fig. 475, 0), often deeply divided (fig. 474, p), 
sometimes absent, frequently raised above the calyx on a stalk 
(fig. 909). Stamens equal in number to the sepals, and then 
either alternate or opposite to them, or usually twice as numerous 
(figs. 908 and 910), or rarely fewer, frequently attached with 
the petals on a stalk above the calyx (jig. 909) ; filaments gene- 
rally distinct (fig. 910), or sometimes united at the base, subu- 
late ; anthers innate. Ovary sessile (fig. 910), or supported 
with the petals and stamens on a short gynophore (figs. 602, 
g, and 909), generally 1-celled, and with a free central placenta 
(figs. 633 and 634), or rarely 2—5-celled (figs. 632 and 908) ; 
styles 2 (fig. 602) to 5 (figs. 633, s, and 634, s), papillose on 
their inner surface (jig. 602), and hence should be properly 
regarded as stigmas; ovules few or numerous (figs. 633 and 
634, g), amphitropous. Fruit a 1-celled capsule, opening by 
2—5 valves, or by 4—10 teeth at the apex (jigs. 663 and 911), 
and having a free central placenta (figs. 633 and 634, p), or 
rarely 2—5-celled with a loculicidal dehiscence, and with the 
placentas slightly attached to the dissepiments. Seeds usually 
numerous, rarely few ; embryo curved round the albumen ( jigs. 
782 and 912), which is of a mealy character, or rarely straight. 
Diagnosis.—Herbaceous plants with the stems swollen at the 
nodes, and opposite entire exstipulate leaves: or rarely with 
small membranous stipules. Inflorescence cymose. Flowers 
usually hermaphrodite. Sepals, petals, and stamens with a 
quaternary or quinary arrangement, the petals sometimes 
