BOTANY. - 191 



the sepals alternate with the stamens, when isostenionous, instead of 

 opposite, as in the restricted Alsinese. Some plants of the order are 

 poisonous. A prominent species is Dianthus carjophyllus, or Carnation, in 

 its different varieties. 



Dianthus caryophyllus, Carnation {pi. 6S^ß(jf. 11); «, h. 



Saponaria officinalis. Soap wort {2d. Q8,ßg. 12); «, a flowering branch : 

 i, pistil and petal; c, pistil; rZ, capsule; e-g, seed. 



Okder 198. Elatinace^, the Water-pepper Family. Sepals three to 

 five, free, or slightly coherent at the base. Petals alternate with the sepals, 

 hypogynous. Stamens hypogynous, equal to, or twice as many as, the 

 petals. Ovary tri-quinquelocular ; styles three to five ; stigmas capitate. 

 Fruit capsular, three- to five-celled, three- to five-valved, loculicidal ; 

 placenta central. Seeds 00, exalbuminous, anatropal ; embryo cylindrical 

 and slightly curved. Annual marsh plants, with hollow creeping stems, 

 and opposite stipulate leaves. They are found in all parts of the globe. 

 Some of them have acridity, and hence the name Water-pepper. Genera 

 six and species twenty-two, according to Lindley. Examples : *Elatine. 

 Bergia, Elatine with two species are North American. 



Order 199. Frankeniace^, the Frankenia Family. Sepals four or five, 

 cohering into a tube, persistent. Petals four to five, alternate with the 

 sepals, hypogynous. Stamens hypogynous, equal in number to the petals, 

 and alternate with them, sometimes more numerous ; anthers bilocular, with 

 longitudinal dehiscence. Ovary unilocular, with parietal placentas ; styh- 

 filiform, often trifid. Fruit a one-celled, usually three-valved capsule, with 

 septicidal dehiscence. Seeds very minute, numerous, anatropal ; embryo 

 straight, in the axis of fleshy albumen. Herbs or undershrubs, with opposite, 

 exstipulate leaves. They are found chiefly in the southern parts of Europe, 

 in western America, and in the north of Europe. They are said to have 

 mucilaginous and slightly aromatic properties. Genera four, species twenty- 

 four. Example : *Frankenia. F. grandifolia, a Californian plant, is North 

 American. 



Order 200. Tamaricace^, the Tamarisk Family. Calyx four- or five- 

 partite, persistent, with imbricated aestivation. Petals four to five, 

 iiypogynous, or perhaps inserted at the base of the calyx, marcescent, with 

 imbricated aestivation. Stamens hypogynous, free, or monadelphous, equal 

 to the petals in number, or twice as many ; anthers dithecal, introrse, with 

 longitudinal dehiscence. Ovary unilocular; styles three. Fruit a three- 

 valved, one-celled capsule, with loculicidal dehiscence. Seeds numerous, 

 anatropal, erect or ascending, comose ; albumen ; embryo straight, with 

 the radicle next the hilum. Shrubs or herbs, with alternate scale-like 

 leaves, and racemose or spiked flowers. They abound in the Mediterranean 

 region, and are conflned chiefly to the eastern half of the northern 

 hemisphere. Many are found in the vicinity of the sea. They have n 

 i)itter astringent bark, and some of them yield a quantity of sulphate of 

 soda when burned. The saccharine substance called Mount Sinai Manna 

 is yielded by Tamarix mannifera. Lindley mentions three genera, com- 

 prising forty-three known species. Examples : Tamarix, Myricaria. 



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