ORDER POLYANDRIA. 247 



Nutmeg scented or fragrant, an erect stem much branched, leaves email, 

 cordate and three lobed, flowers small and pale, tinged with blue. 



Royal purple, stem branched; flat cordate leaves, five lobed ; flowers large 

 and of a bright purple. 



Another genus of the Geranium family is called the Hparea this contains 

 several varieties, differing chiefly from the Pelargonium, in having a tuberous 

 root, with radical leaves ; most of the species are yellow. The plants of the 

 natural family Geraniag are mostly natives of the Cape of Good Hope, a region 

 to which we are indebted for many of our finest exotics.* 



Decandria. 



The Tenth Order contains the genus Geranium, which differs 

 from the Pelargonium, in having a regular calyx and corolla, 

 and also in producing 10 perfect stamens, which vary in length, 

 every alternate one being longer ; 5 glands adhere to the base 

 of the five long filaments. We have some native species of 

 this genus ; the .common Crane's bill (GERANIUM maculatum), 

 with large, showy, purple flowers, is often found in meadows 

 during the first summer months. 



At Fig. 119, a, is a flower of the genus Geranium. 



The three families Erodium, Pelargonium, and Geranium, 

 were formerly all united in one genus ; but the difference in 

 the number of stamens seems decidedly to separate them. 



Polyandria. 



The Thirteenth Order, (many stamens) is made up entirely 

 of a group of genera which compose the natural order COLUM- 

 NIFER^E, of Linnseus ; the stamens are united in the form of a 

 column ; (see Fig. 119, J.) by Jussieu they have been collect- 

 ed into an order, under the name of Malvaceae, so called from 

 the genus Malva. The peculiar characteristics of the whole 

 group are, a calyx often double, 5 regular petals, stamens 

 numerous, united by their filaments into a tube, and rising 

 like a column in the centre of the flower ; in the centre of this 

 tube are the styles, forming an inner bundle ; the number of 

 these is various, though often found to be eight. The number 

 of seed vessels, each of which contains one seed, equals the 

 number of styles ; the seeds stand round in a circle. 



Among the plants which compose this family, are the holly, 

 hock, the mallows, and the cotton, (Gossypium.) The CAMEL- 

 LIA japonica, or Japan rose, a very splendid flower, equal in 

 size to the largest rose, is found here. Its beauty of form and 

 richness of colouring have a fine appearance, when contrast- 

 ed with its dark green leaves. 



Most of the native species of the class Monadelphia may, in 



* Prince's Horticulture. 



-*c "' ' '" 



Order Decandria Order Polyandria- Columnifera3 Plants which compose 

 this family. 



