SHEPHERD'S 



25 



of the wheat-fields, Radish, Sweet Alyssum of the gardens, 

 &c. All these plants, while differing in unimportant par- 

 ticulars, such as the colour and size of the petals and the 

 shape of the pod, agree in presenting the following char- 

 acters : 



1. The sepals and petals are each four in number. 



2. The stamens are tetradynamous (and hypogynous). 



3. Tlie fruit is syncarpous, and is 2-celled by reason of 



a thin partition stretched between the carpels. 

 4- It may be added that the plants are generally pungent 

 to the tastej and the flowers are almost invariably 

 in terminal clusters, like that of Shepherd's Purse. 



SHEPHERD'S PURSE. 



