DICOTYLEDONES— THALAMIFLOR^E 287 



or rarely 2 — 5-celled with a loculicidal dehiscence, and with 

 the placentas slightly attached to the dissepiments. Seeds 

 usually numerous, rarely few; embryo curved round the 

 albumen, which is of a mealy character, or rarely straight. 



Diagnosis. — Herbaceous plants with the stems swollen at 

 the nodes, and opposite entire exstipulate leaves ; or rarely with 

 small membranous stipules. Inflorescence cymose. Flowers 

 usually hermaphrodite. Sepals, petals, and stamens with a 

 quaternary or quinary arrangement, the petals sometimes absent. 

 Calyx persistent. Stamens hypog^'nous ; anthers innate. Ovary 

 commonly 1-celled, styles 2 — 5. Capsule 1-celled, or rarely 2 — 5- 

 celled ; placenta usually free central, or in the 2 — 5-celled 

 fruit slightly attached to the dissepiments. Seeds with the 

 embryo curved round mealy albumen ; or rarely straight. 



Division of the Order and Illustrative Genera. — The order 

 has been divided into four tribes or sub-orders as follows: — 



Tribe 1. Alsinecs. — Sepals distinct, and opposite tlie stamens 

 when the latter are equal to them in number. Styles free. 

 Stipules none, or small and membranous. Illustrative 

 Genera : — Alsine, Walilenb. ; Stellaria, Linn. ; Spergula, 

 Lii^n. 



Tribe 2. Silenece. — Sepals cohering into a tube, and opposite 

 the stamens when the latter are equal to them in number. 

 No stipules. Illustrative Genera : — Dianthus, Linn. ; 

 Lychnis, Linn. 



Tribe 3. Molluginece. — Sepals distinct or nearly so, and alter- 

 nate 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. No stipules. Illustrative 

 Genera : — Mollugo, Linn. ; Crelanthum, E. Mey. 



Tribe 4. Polycarpcce. — Sepals distinct. Ovary sessile. Styles 

 connate at the base. Stipules membranous. Illustrative 

 Genus : — Polycarpon, Linn. 



Distribution and Numbers. — They are catives chiefly of tem- 

 perate and cold climates. When found in tropical regions they 

 are generally on the sides and summits of mountains, commonly 

 reaching the limits of eternal snow. The order contains nearly 

 1,100 species. 



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

 important properties. They are almost always iEsipid. Some 

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

 have been said to increase the lacteal secretions of cov/s fed upon 



