1130 ASARACEAE 



FAMILY 2. MOBINACEAE Dumort. TEASEL FAMILY. 



Annual or perennial, sometimes prickly herbs, or shrubby plants. Leaves 

 opposite or rarely whorled : blades entire, toothed or dissected. Flowers per- 

 fect, each with an involucel, commonly numerous, crowded on a common re- 

 ceptacle which is subtended by an involucre. Calyx entire and cup-like, or of 

 several bristles. Corolla gamopetalous : tube enlarged upward : limb with 2-5 

 imbricated lobes. Androecium of 2-4 stamens, adnate to the upper part of 

 the corolla tube : filaments distinct, often inflexed : anthers versatile, opening 

 lengthwise, separate. Gynoecimn a single carpel. Ovary inferior, 1-celled : 

 style elongated, entire : stigmas globose to elongated, terminal or lateral. 

 Ovule solitary, pendulous, anatropous. Fruit an achene surrounded by the ac- 

 crescent involucre and crowned with the persistent calyx. Seed w r ith a membra- 

 nous testa. Embryo straight in the fleshy endosperm. [Dipsacaceae Lindl.] 



1. DIPSACUS L. 



Coarse or prickly biennial or perennial herbs, with channeled stems. Leaves opposite : 

 blades often connate, coarsely toothed or pinnatifid, the nerves often prickly beneath. 

 Involucral bracts and scales of the receptacle rigid. Flowers in terminal globose or ob- 

 long heads. Involucre calyx-like, inclosing the ovary. Calyx a cup-shaped, or 4-lobed 

 limb. Corolla tubular-funnelform, 4-lobed, often slightly irregular, blue or white. Stamens 

 4. Style filiform : stigma oblique or lateral. Achene 8-ribbed, enclosed in, and more or 

 less adnate to the involucre, its pericarp thin, crowned with the persistent calyx-limb. 



1. Dipsacus sylvdstris Huds. Biennial, coarse, dark green, armed with short 

 prickles. Stem erect, 1-2.5 m. tall, channeled, often sparingly branched, the branches 

 ascending : basal leaves oblanceolate, obtuse, crenate-serrate, sessile, 2-4 dm. long ; stem- 

 leaves lanceolate, acutish, entire, often with a few prickles on the margin, more or less 

 clasping, the midrib large and prominent beneath, flat and white above : heads ovoid, 5-6 

 cm. long, subtended by linear-lanceolate rough involucral bracts: calyx fully 1 mm. high, 

 green, cup-shaped, 4-sided, pubescent, ciliate : corolla 11-13 mm. long ; tube white, puber- 

 ulent ; lobes 4, lilac, broadly ovate, converging, obtuse, many times shorter than the tube : 

 stamens exserted. 



Adventive or naturalized in waste places or fields. Native of Europe. Summer. WILD TEASEL. 



Order 12. ARISTOLOCHIALES. 



Herbs or vines, often with woody stems. Leaves alternate, sometimes all 

 basal : blades mostly cordate or hastate. Flowers perfect, often conspicuous. 

 Hypanthium present, mostly adnate to the ovary. Calyx present, regular or 

 exceedingly irregular. Corolla wanting or rudimentary. Androecium of as 

 many stamens as there are calyx-lobes, or more. Gynoecium of usually 6 

 united carpels. Ovary inferior or rarely superior. Fruit a capsule. Endo- 

 sperm present. 



FAMILY I. AS AH. ACE AE Link. BIRTHWORT FAMILY. 



Perennial, sometimes acaulescent, herbs or woody vines, often with a ginger- 

 aromatic or ill-smelling property. Leaves alternate, without stipules : blades 

 various, often lobed, usually cordate. Flowers perfect, regular or very irreg- 

 ular, variable in size, solitary, or in cymes or racemes. Calyx usually colored : 

 tube sometimes bent and inflated. Calyx various, of 3 distinct or united sepals. 

 Androecium of 6-many stamens. Filaments inserted in 1-2 series, free from 

 or adnate to the ovary or style-column. Disk wanting. Gynoecium a single 

 pistil. Ovary 4-6-celled, inferior or superior. Styles commonly united. Ovules 

 numerous in each cavity, anatropous, horizontal or pendulous. Fruit mostly a 

 6-celled capsule. Seeds usually numerous, with a crustaceous, smooth, wrinkled 

 or granular testa. Endosperm fleshy. Embryo in the endosperm near the 

 hilum. [Aristolochiaceae Blume.] 



