CALTCIFLOR^. 525 



1 or more, sometimes arillate, attached to the upper or ventral 

 suture {figs. 653, and 915) ;' albumen absent or present; embryo 

 (fg. 160) straight, or with the radicle folded upon the cotyle- 

 dons; cotyledons leafy or fleshy, and either hypogeal, or epigeal. 



Diagnosis. — Herbs, shrubs, or trees. Leaves nearly always 

 alternate and stipulate, and usually compound. Flowers 

 regular or in-egular, often papilionaceous. Calyx inferior, 

 5-parted; odd division anterior. Petals 5, or fewer by abor- 

 tion, or none, perigynous, odd one when present, posterior. 

 Stamens distinct, or coherent in 1 or more bundles. Ovary 

 superior, simple, 1 -celled; style simple, proceeding from the 

 ventral suture. Fruit usually a legume, or sometimes a lomen- 

 tum, and rarely a drupe. Seeds 1 or more, with or without 

 albumen. This order may be usually distinguished by having 

 papilionaceous flowers, or leguminous fruit. 



Division of the Order, ^c— The, order has been divided into 

 three sub-orders as follows : — 



Sub -Order 1. Papilionace^. — Petals papilionaceous, im- 

 bricated in aestivation, and the upper or odd petal exterior. 

 Examples of the Genera: — Baptisia, Gompholobium, Pulten£ea, 

 Leptosema, Liparia, Hovea, Heylandia, Lupinus, Dichilus, Ulex, 

 Trifolium, Indigofera, Amorpha, Glycyn-hiza, Brongniartia, 

 Astragalus, Vicia, Arachis, Ornithopus, Onobrychis, Amphi- 

 carpsea, Kennedya, Glycine, Dioclea, Mucuna, Phaseolus, Fa- 

 gelia, Eriosema, Abrus, Dipteryx, Sophora. 



Sub-Order 2. C^salpinie^. — Petals not papilionaceous, 

 imbricated in aestivation, and the upper or odd petal inside the 

 lateral petals. Examples of the Genera: — Leptolobium, Csesal- 

 pinia. Cassia, Swartzia, Tamarindus, Bauhinia, Copaifera, Ce- 

 ratonia, 



Sub-Order 3. Mimose^. — Petals equal, and valvate in aesti- 

 vation. Examples of the Genera: — Parkia, Mimosa, Acacia. 



Distribution, ^c. — This is a very extensive order, and has 

 some representatives in almost every part of the world. A con- 

 siderable number of the genera are confined within certain geo- 

 graphical limits, while others have a very wide range. As a 

 general rule, the Papilionacece are universally distributed, 

 although most abundant in warm regions ; while the Ccesal- 

 piniecB and Mimosece are most common in tropical regions, but 

 many of the latter are also to be found in Australia. There are 

 about 520 genera, and 6650 species. 



Properties and Uses. — The properties and uses of the plants 

 of this order are exceedingly variable. Lindley remarks, that 

 " The Leguminous Order is not only among the most extensive 

 that are known, but also one of the most important to man, 

 whether we consider the beauty of the numerous species, which 

 are among the gayest coloured, and most graceful plants of 

 every region ; or their applicability to a thousand useful pnr- 



