BALSAMINACEA, 496 
the styles, and ultimately dehisce. Seeds 1 in each carpel, 
exalbuminous ; embryo with foliaceous convolute cotyledons. 
Distribution and Nuwmbers.—Some are distributed over 
various parts of the world, but they abound at the Cape of 
Good Hope. Kxamples of the Genera :—Erodium, L’ Héritier ; 
Geranium, Linn. ; Pelargonium, L’Héritier. There are nearly 
550 species. ' 
Properties and Uses. — Astringent, resinous, and aromatic 
qualities are the more important properties of the plants of this 
order. Many are remarkable for the beauty of their flowers ; 
and others for the agreeable odours of their leaves and flowers, 
which render them useful in perfumery. 
Erodium.—The species are reputed to be astringent.—E£. moschatum is 
remarkable for its musky odour. 
Geranium.—The root of G. maculatum is a powerful astringent, for which 
reason it is much used in North America, where it is called Alum-root. It 
contains much tannic acid, and forms a good substitute for kino and 
catechu.— G. parviflorum produces edible tubercular roots, which are known 
in Van Diemen’s Land under the name of Native Carrots. 
Pelargonium.—tThe species of this genus are favourite objects of culture 
on account of the beauty of their flowers. They are chiefly natives of the 
Cape of Good Hope, but the species have been much improved by cultivation. 
They are commonly, but improperly, called Geraniums. In their properties 
they are generally astringent, but the fresh tubercular roots of P. triste are 
eaten at the Cape of Good Hope. From the leaves and flowers of Pelar- 
gonium roseum, P. odoratissimum, and P. Radula, and some other species or 
varieties of Pelargonium, essential oils may be obtained by distillation with 
water. The latter species yields the true German Geranium Oil or Oil of 
Rose-leaved Geranium, as well as the French Geranium or ‘ Palma-rose’ 
Oil; and the two first-named species yield the so-called Algerian Rose Oil. 
Both these oils, but especially the former, are used in perfumery, These 
true essential oils of Geranium must not be confounded with the so-called 
Geranium Oil of India, which is the produce of an Indian Grass, Andropogon 
pachnodes, Trin. (A. scheenanthus, Linn.). (See Andropogon.) This latter 
oil is that used in Turkey for mixing with Otto of Roses. (See Rosa.)—P. 
capitatum, or Rose-leaved Geranium, has been cultivated to some extent in 
this country, and the oil obtained from it is said to be equal to those 
imported under the name of Geranium oils, 
Order 6. BatsAMINAce®, the Balsam Order.—Character. 
—Herbaceous plants with succulent stems and a watery juice. 
Leaves alternate or opposite, simple, exstipulate. Flowers 
hypogynous, very irregular. Sepals 3 (fig. 799)—5, very irre- 
gular, deciduous, with an imbricate estivation, the odd one 
spurred (jig. 799). Petals 5 (fig. 799), or more usually 4, 1 
being abortive, distinct or irregularly united, deciduous, alter- 
nate with the sepals; e&xstivation convolute. Stamens 5 (fig. 
799), alternate with the petals, and somewhat united. Disk 
none. Ovary composed of 5 carpels, united so as to form a 
d-celled compound body (fig. 799); style simple; stigma more 
or less divided into 5 lobes. Frwit usually capsular, 5-celled, 
and dehiscing in a septifragal manner by 5 elastic valves, 
which become coiled up (jig. 931); placentas axile; sometimes 
