82 VIOLACE^:. (VIOLET FAMILY.) 



1. I. polygalsefolium, Vent. Stems low, from a woody base; leaves 

 linear to oblanceolate, or the lower obovate, entire, the stipules leaf-like or 

 small or none ; flowers solitary, nodding, 2" long, white. (I. lineare, Torr.) 

 Kan. and southwestward. 



ORDER ]5. CARYOPHYLLACE^E. (Pix K FAMILY.) 



Herbs, with opposite entire leaves, symmetrical 4 -5-wi erous flowers, with 

 or without petals ; the distinct stamens no more than twice the number of the 

 sepals, either liypoyynous or peri gy nous ; styles 2-5 (or rarely united into 

 one) ; seeds several or usually many, attached to the base or to the central 

 column of the l-celled (rarely 3-5-celled) pod, with a slender embryo coiled 

 or curved around the outside of mealy albumen, in Dianthus nearly straight. 

 - Bland herbs ; the stems usually swollen at the joints ; uppermost 

 leaves rarely alternate. Leaves often united at the base. Calyx per- 

 sistent. Styles stigmatic along the inside. Seeds amphitropous or 

 cainpylotropous. 



Tribe I. SIL.ENE^E. Sepals united into a tube or cup. Petals (mostly convolute in 

 the bud) and stamens (10) borne on the stipe or stalk of the ovary, the former with slen- 

 der claws, to the base of which the corresponding filaments often adhere, included in 

 the calyx -tube. Seeds numerous. Stipules none. Flowers often large and showy. 



* Calyx with scaly bractlets or small leaves at the base. Seeds flattened on the back, attached 

 by their face ; embryo nearly straight. 



1. Dianthus. Calyx terete, mostly cylindrical. Styles 2. 



* * Calyx naked. Seeds globular or kidney-shaped ; embryo curved or coiled. 



2. Gypsophila. Calyx top-shaped or campanulate. Pod deeply 4-valved Styles 2. 



3. Sapoiiaria. Calyx oblong-cylindrical, obscurely nerved, terete or 5-angled. Pod shortly 



4-valved. Styles 2. 



4. Silene. Calyx 5-toothed, 10-nerved. Styles 3. 



5. Lychnis. Calyx 5-toothed, 10-nerved. Styles 5, rarely 4. 



Tribe II. AtSINE^E. Sepals distinct or nearly so, imbricated in the bud. Petals 

 when present without claws, mostly imbricated, and with the stamens inserted at the 

 base of the sessile ovary, or into a little disk. Pod splitting into valves or teeth, several - 

 many-seeded. Stamens opposite the sepals, when not more in number. Low herbs. 



* Stipules none. 



t- Styles opposite the sepals, or, when fewer, opposite those which are exterior in the bud. 

 w- Pod short, splitting into as many valves as styles ; valves often bifid or 2-parted. 



6. Arenaria. Petals entire. Styles usually 3. Valves of the pod entire, bifid, or 2-parted. 



7. Stellaria. Petals 2-cleft or none. Styles usually 3. Valves bifid or 2-parted. 



++ Pod cylindrical, dehiscent by twice as many equal teeth as stj'les. 



8. Holosteum. Petals denticulate or notched. Styles usually 3. Seeds fixed by the 



face. 



9. Cerastium. Petals notched or 2-cleft. Styles 5 or 4. Seeds fixed edgewise. 



i- <- Styles alternate with the sepals. Stamens as many, or twice as many. 



10. Sagina. Petals 4 or 5, entire, or none. Styles 4 or 5. Pod short, 4 - 5-valved. 



* * Stipules present. Pod short. 



11. Buda. Styles 3. Pod 3-valved. Leaves opposite. 



12 Spergula. Styles 5. Valves of the pod opposite the sepals. Leaves whorled. 



