494 GERANIACEA, 
Tribulus. —T. terrestris is a prickly plant, which is abundant in dry bar- 
ren places in the East. It is considered to be the Thistle mentioned in Matt. 
vii. 16, and Ileb. vi. 8. The fruit of 7. lanuginosus is much esteemed in 
Southern India as a diuretic. 
Zygophyllum Fabago, Bean-caper.—It derives its common name from 
the circumstance of its flower-buds being used in some parts of the world as 
a substitute for Capers. It is also reputed to possess anthelmintic properties. 
Order 5. GERANIACE, the Crane’s-bill Order.—Character, 
— Herbs or shrubs, with swollen usually articulated joints (nodes). 
Leaves simple, opposite or alternate, with membranous stipules. 
Flowers regular or irregular. Sepals 5 (fig. 927), inferior, per- 
sistent, more or less unequal ; estivation imbricate. Petals 5 
(fig. 927), or rarely 4 from abortion, unguiculate, hypogynous 
or perigynous ; &stivation twisted (fig. 927). Stamens usually 
twice (fig. 928) as many as the petals, (some are, however, 
frequently abortive), hypogynous, and generally united at the 
base (fig. 928), the alternate ones shorter and occasionally 
barren. Disk inconspicuous or glandular. Carpels 5, arranged 
Fic. 928. Fic. 929. 
Fie. 930. 
Fig. 927. A portion of the flowering stem of Geranium sylvaticum.——Fig. 
928. The andreecium and gyneecium of the same.—Fig. 929, The pistil, 
partially matured, surrounded by the persistent calyx.— Fig. 930. 
Transverse section of the seed, 
around an elongated axis or carpophore (jig. 929); styies 
corresponding in number to the carpels, and adhering to the 
carpophore. Frwit consisting of five l-seeded carpels, which 
ultimately separate from the carpophore from below upwards 
by the curling up of the styles, which remain adherent at the 
summit (fig. 640). Seeds without albumen ; cotyledons folia- 
ceous, convolute (fig. 930). 
Diagnosis,—Herbs or shrubs, with simple leaves, membranous 
stipules, and swollen joints. Sepals 5, imbricate. Petals 
twisted in zestivation. Stamens hypogynous, generally united 
at the base. Fruit consisting of 5 carpels attached by means of 
their styles to an elongated axis or carpophore, from which they 
separate when ripe from below upwards by the curling up of 
