52 SYMPETALAE 



577. Corolla regular, 5-partite, with imbricate aestivation. Stamens 10, five 

 of them sometimes sterile. Ovules erect, straight. Shrubs or trees. 

 Leaves compound, exstipulate. Flowers in panicles or racemes. 



Comiarus, 104. Connaraceae. 

 Corolla regular, with valvate aestivation, or irregular. Ovules inverted. 



Leaves usually stipulate 105. Leguminosae. 



578- (570-) Ovules basal or inserted upon a free central placenta. . . . 579 

 Ovules parietal 5^7 



579. Ovules 3, pendulous. Style simple. Fertile stamens as many as and 



opposite the corolla-lobes, 5—6, or fewer, 3. Flowers regular. Fruit 

 a drupe. Trees, shrubs, or undershrubs. Leaves alternate. 



Olax, 59. Olacaceae. 

 Ovules 3, ascending, or more 580 



580. Style 3-cleft. Stamens more than corolla-lobes, 8 — 30, rarely fewer, 3. 



Sepals 2. Corolla-lobes 5. Herbs or undershrubs. 



73. Portulacaceae. 



Style simple or 2-cleft, rarely [Caryofhyllaceae) 3-cleft, but then sepals 



corolla-lobes and stamens 5 each 5S1 



581. Stamens as many as and opposite the divisions of the corolla, 3 — 7. Style 



simple. 582 



Stamens as many as and alternate with the divisions of the corolla, or fewer 

 or more numerous 583 



582. Fruit a capsule. Herbs or undershrubs. . . . 191. Primulaceae.. 

 Fruit a nut, berry, or drupe. Shrubs or trees, very rarely herbs or under- 

 shrubs. Leaves alternate, gland-dotted. . . . 190. Myrsinaceae. 



583. Stamens 5. Flowers regular 584 



Stamens 2, 4, or 8 585 



584. Leaves opposite, stipulate. Corolla deeply divided, with imbricate 



aestivation. Styles i or 3. Herbs or undershrubs, 



75. Caryophyllaceae. 

 Leaves alternate, exstipulate. Styles 1—2. . 202. Convolvulaceae. 



585. Stamens 4, free from the corolla, or 8. Flowers regular, 4-merous. Stigma 



I. Seeds albuminous. Low shrubs. Leaves whorled, narrow. 



1 89. Ericaceae. 

 Stamens 4, inserted on the corolla-tube, or 2 586- 



586. Anthers opening by a transverse slit. Stamens 2. Style wanting. Sepals- 



2 or 5. Corolla distinctly 2-lipped. Leaves alternate or all radical. 



Herbs 214. Lentibulariaceae. 



Anthers opening by two longitudinal slits. Style present. Ovules 4. 

 Leaves opposite or whorled. . . . . . . 205. Verbenaceae. 



587. (578.) Ovules attached to a single placenta. Style simple. Stamens as 



many as or more than the divisions of the corolla. Leaves alternate, 



compound or reduced to the dilated petiole. 105. Leguminosae. 



Ovules attached to two or more placentas 588- 



