DllOSEUACEiE. 29 



OUDEll IX.— D ROSERACE^. 



Small rather fragile herbs, often stemless, with the leaves in a 

 radical rosette, or with an elongated stem having alternate or whorled 

 lesives generally folded down on the petiole (almost circinnate) in 

 aestivation. Leaves most frequently on long stalks, and generally 

 covered on the upjoer side with hairs tipped with glands, or ciliated 

 with weak bristle-like spines. Stipules none, unless a fringe of 

 white scarious hairs on the upper side of the petiole represent them. 

 Scapes from the axils of the leaves generally coiled up before flower- 

 ing. Plowers regular, in a spike or raceme, rarely solitary or in an 

 umbel. Sepals 5 to S, persistent, imbricated in the bud. Petals 

 5 to 8, hypogynous, imbricated, withering. Stamens 5 to S, more 

 rarely 10 or 15, hypogynous. Carpels 3 or 5, completely united so 

 as to form a 1- celled ovary. Styles 3 to 5, generally distinct, and 

 each divided into two branches so as to appear twice as many, or all 

 more or less united together : occasionally the branches are notched 

 or multifid at the apex. Placentas parietal, with numerous anatropal 

 ovules ; or more rarely at the base of the ovary. Capsule opening 

 loculicidally by 3 or 5 valves, or bursting irregularly at the apex. 

 Seeds numerous (rarely few), sometimes with an arilliform testa ; 

 embryo minute, at the base of fleshy albumen.* 



GENUS J.— D R O S E R A. 



Sepals 5 to 8, slightly cohering at the base, persistent. Petals 

 5 to 8, oblaneeolate, slightly spreading, marcescent. Stamens 5 to 8. 

 Styles 3 (more rarely 4j or 5), bij^artite, entire or notched at the 

 stigmatic apex. Capsule 1-celled, dehiscing loculicidally by as many 

 valves as there are styles. Seeds numerous, small, attached to" the 

 middle of the valves, obovate or elongate, rough or reticulated. 



Small yellowish-green bog herbs, often stemless, with glandular 

 hairs tinged with red on the upper side of the leaves. Flowers 

 white, pink, or pale purple, distichous-secund, in spikes or racemes 

 Avhich are curled round before flowering. Whole plant turning 

 nearly black in drying, and staining the paper dull red. 



■"' Parnassia seems very ill placed in this Order ; and, of course, if it be excluded, 

 there cau be no reason for j^ilacing Droserace<E along with the Saxifragacete. 



