THALA3nFL0K.E. 463 



617 and 872); styles 2 (Jig. 587) to 5 (fig. 618), papillose on 

 their inner surface (fig. 587), and hence should properly be 

 regarded as stigmas ; ovules few or numerous, amphitropal. 

 Fruit a l-celled capsule, opening by 2 — 5 valves (fig. 875), or 

 by 4 — 10 teeth, at the apex (fig. 648), and having a free 

 central placenta (fig. 618, pi), or rarely 2 — 5-celled w-ith a 

 loculicidal dehiscence, and with the placentas shghtly attached 

 to the dissepiments. Seeds usually numerous (fig. 618), rarely 

 few ; embryo curved round the albumen which is of a mealy 

 character (figs. 760 and 876). 



Diagnosis. — Herbaceous plants with stems swollen at the 

 joints, and opposite, entire, exstipulate leaves. Flowers usually 

 hermaphrodite. Sepals, petals, and stamens, with a quaternary 

 or quinary arrangement, the petals sometimes absent Stamens 

 hypogynous ; anthers innate. Ovary commonly l-celled ; styles 

 2 — 5. Capsule l-celled, or rarely 2 — 5-celled; placenta usually 

 free central, sometimes in the 2 — 5-celled fruit sUghtly attached 

 to the dissepiments. Seeds with the embryo curved round 

 mealy albumen. 



Division of the Order, Sfc. — The order is divided into three 

 sub-orders, as follows : — 



Sub-order 1. Alsinece, the Chickweed Sub-order. — Sepals dis- 

 tinct, and opposite the stamens, when the latter are equal to 

 them in number. Examples : — Alsine, Arenaria, Stellaria, 

 Cerastium. 



Sub -order 2. Silenece, the Pink Sub-order. — Sepals cohering 

 into a tube, and opposite the stamens, when the latter are 

 equal to them in number. Examples : — Dianthus, Saponaria, 

 Silene, Lychnis. 



Sub-order 3. Molluginece, the Carpet-weed Sub-order. — Sepals 



distinct or nearly so, and alternate with the stamens, when 



the latter are equal to them in number; if the stamens are 



fewer than the sepals, they are then alternate with the 



. carpels. Examples : — MoUugo, Cselanthum. 



Distribution, 8fc. — They are natives chiefly of temperate and 

 cold climates. When found in tropical regions they are gene- 

 rally on the sides and summits of mountains, commonly reach- 

 ing the hmits of eternal snow. According to Lindley, there are 

 59 genera, and 1055 species. 



Properties and Uses. — The plants of this order possess no 

 important properties. They are almost always insipid. Some 

 of the wild species are eaten as food by small animals, and some 

 have been said to increase the lacteal secretions of cows fed upon 

 them. This is supposed to be the case more particularly with 

 Vaccaria vulgaris. Saponaria officinalis has been used in syphilis. 

 It contains a peculiar principle called saponitie. This principle 

 has also been found in species of Lychnis, Silene, Cucubalus, 



