THALAMIFLOR.E. 



479 



Fig. 885. 



Fig. 886. 



Fig. 887. 



Diagram of the flower of a speciea of St. John's Wort {HypericunO 



Fig. 88.5, 



Fig. 886. Vertical section of the flower of a species of HypeiHcum. 

 ■ Vertical section of the seed of a species of Hypericum- 



-Fig. 887 



number to the sepals, hypogynous, unequal-sided, frequently 

 bordered with black glands ; cestivation twisted. Stamensf 

 usually numerous, rarely few, hypogynous (Jig. 886), mostly 

 polyadelphous (fig. 542), or rarely distinct, or monadelphous, 

 sometimes having fleshy glands alternating with the bundles of 

 stamens ; filaments filiform ; anthers 2-celled, with longitudi- 

 nal dehiscence. Ovary 1 -celled, formed of from 3 — 5 carpels, 

 which are partially inflected so as to project into the cavity ; or 

 3 — 5-celled by the union of the dissepiments in the centre (fig. 

 885) ; styles equal in number to the carpels ; stigmas usually 

 capitate or truncate, rarely 2-lobed. Fruit capsular, usually 

 S — 5-celled, sometimes 1 -celled ; placentas axile or parietal, 

 dehiscence septicidal. Seeds minute, numerous ; embryo straight 

 or curved, exalbuminous (fig. 887). 



Diagnosis. — Leaves usually opposite, simple, exstipulate. 

 Flowers regular. Sepals and petals hypogynous, with a quater- 

 nary or quinary distribution ; the former with an imbricated 

 estivation ; the latter unequal- sided, commonly marked with 

 black glands, and having a contorted aestivation. Stamens 

 hypogynous, usually numerous and polyadelphous, rarely few, 

 and then distinct or monadelphous ; anthers 2-celled, opening 

 longitudinally. Styles several, long. Fruit 1- celled, or 3 — 5- 

 celled. Seeds numerous, naked, exalbuminous. 



Distribution, Sfc. — The plants are generally distributed over 

 the globe, inhabiting both temperate and hot regions, and 

 almost all varieties of soil. Examples: — Ascyrum, Hypericum, 

 Vismia. There are 16 genera, and 276 species. 



Properties and Uses. — They abound generally in a resinous 

 yellow juice, which is frequently purgative ; as in Vismia 

 guianensisy micrantha, &c. Other plants of the order, as 

 Hypericum perforatum, Androscemum officinale^ &c, have tonic 



