BOTANY. 195 



placentas ; stigmas three. Fruit either a miilocnlar, many-seeded capsule, 

 opening at the apex, so as to render the seeds seminiule, or three to six few- 

 seeded follicles. Seeds reniform, usually exalbuminous ; embryo curved ; 

 radicle superior; cotyledons fleshy. Herbaceous plants, rarely shrubs, with 

 alternate, entire, or divided leaves, having gland-like stipules. They 

 inhabit chiefly Europe and the adjoining parts of Asia. A few are found in 

 the north of India and south of Africa. The uses of the order are unim- 

 portant. Keseda luteola, Weld, yields a yellow dye. Keseda odorata is 

 the fragrant Mignonette. The Mignonette is rendered suöruticose by 

 })reventiug the development of its blossoms. This is the origin of the tree 

 Mignonette, which is much cultivated in France. There are six known 

 genera and forty-one species, according to Lindley. Example : Keseda. 

 Ellimia ruderalis of California appears to be the only American represen- 

 tative. 



Reseda luteola, Weld, or Dyer's rocket, Europe {pi. 66, ßg. 13) ; «, 5, 

 flowers and leaf; c, flower; e, capsule ; f, seed ; g, flower from above. 



Order 208. Capparidaceje, the Caper Family. Sepals four, often more 

 or less cohering. Petals four, sometimes 0, cruciate, usually unguiculate 

 and unequal. Stamens hypogynous, four to six, or 00, but in general some 

 high multiple of four, placed in an elongated hemispherical and often 

 glandular torus. Ovary usually stalked ; style filiform, sometimes ; 

 ovules curved. Fruit unilocular, siliquaeform, and dehiscent, or fleshy and 

 indehiscent, rarely monospermous, usually with two polyspermous placentas. 

 Seeds generally reniform and exalbuminous ; embryo curved ; cotyledons 

 foliaceous, flattish. Herbs, shrubs, sometimes trees, with alternate, stalked, 

 undivided, or palmate leaves, which are either exstipulate or have spines at 

 their base. They are found chiefly in warm countries, and are abundant 

 in Africa. There are 28 genera and 340 species. Six genera and eleven 

 species are natives of North America. Tribe 1. Gleomew. Fruit capsular. 

 Examples : *Cleome, *Polani8ia. Tribe 2. Capparecp. Fruit fleshy. 

 Example : Capparis. Not found in North America. 



The flower buds of Capparis spinosa, a native of the south of Europe, 

 furnish capers. This plant is supposed to be the Hyssop of the 

 Scriptures. 



Capparis spinosa, Caper plant {pi. Q6,ßg. 12); a, flowering branch; J, 

 capsiüe ; c, cross-section of ditto ; ^, seed. 



Order 209. Crucifer^, the Cruciferous, or Creswort Family. Brassi- 

 caceae of Lindley. Sepals four, deciduous, the two latter ones gibbous at 

 the base. Petals four, hypogynous, alternating with the sepals, deciduous, 

 cruciate. Stamens six, tetradynamous, two shorter, solitary, opposite the 

 lateral sepals, occasionally toothed ; four longer, opposite the anterior ajid 

 posterior sepals, generally free, sometimes partially united and furnished 

 with a tooth on the inside ; anthers bilocular, introrse. Torus with green 

 glands between the petals and stamens and ovary. Ovary superior, with 

 parietal placentas, which meet in the middle, forming a spurious dissepiment 

 or replum ; stigmas two, opposite the placentas, or anterior and posterior. 

 Fruit a siliqua, or a silicula, rarely one-celled and indehiscent, usually 



]9.j 



