OKDER H. MAGNOLIACE.E. OKDER VIII. NYMPHCEACE^. 



107 



A larso order of plants, distinguished by their 

 aerM, ami usually poisonous juice. They generally 

 grow in wet or damp situations. This order in- 

 cludes a great many ornamental cultivated plants. 

 The Ranunculus (Butter-cup), flg. 1, the Clematis 

 (Virgin? n-boicer\ and Anemone, are examples. 

 The Delphinium ( Lark - spur ), and Aconitum 

 (3fonlf-lux>d), arc distinguished by very irregular 

 nowcrs. 



ORDER II. Magnoliacese. 



Trees or shrubs. Leaves alternate, sin- 

 gle, entire, or lobed ; never serrate, coria- 

 cious; usually punctate with transparent 

 dots. Stipnles membranaceous, caducous, 

 enveloping the bud. Flowers solitary, 

 large and showy, usually fragrant. Sepals 

 3 6, deciduous, colored. Petals 3, or 

 more; often in several rows. Stamens indefinite, hypogynous, 

 distinct. Filaments short. Anthers adnate. Ovaries numerous, 

 arranged in several rows on the elongated receptacle, forming a 

 kind of cone. Seeds 1 2 in each carpel, from which, when ma- 

 ture, they are often suspended by a slender funiculus. Embryo 

 minute, at the base of the fleshy albumen. 



A noble order, consisting chiefly of large trees, native mostly at the South 

 and West The bark often contains an Intensely bitter principle, which Is tonic 

 and stimulant. Examples are the Magnolias and tho Liriodendron, or Tulip- 

 tree, fig. . 



Fig. 2. 



ORDER III. Anonaceae. 



Trees, or shrubs. Leaves alternate, entire. Stipnles none. 

 Sepals 3. Petals 6, in two series, of a dull color. Stamens inde- 

 finite, hypogynous, with short filaments and extrorse anthers. 

 Ovaries usually numerous, closely packed together, sometimes co- 

 hering in a pulpy mass. Style short, or none. Stigmas simple. 

 Carpels 1 -seeded. Seeds anatropous. 



A chiefly tropical order, represented In tho United States by sovera! species 

 of Aslmina (Papaic), and the delicious Custard-apples of the East and West 

 Indies, also belong here. 



ORDER IV. Menispennaceae. 



Climbing, or twining, usually more or less shrubby plants. 



Leaves alternate, entire. Stipules none. Flowers small, arranged 



in panicles, or racemes, usually dioecious, but never perfect. 



Sepals 4 12 in 1 3 rows; deciduous. Petals 1 8; usually as 



i>:ils; hypogynous, rarely wanting, or united. 



the petals, and equalling them in number, or 



else 2 1 times as many. Anthers often 4-celled. Ovaries 



Flg.1. 



usually several, when in flower, but in fruit mostly reduced to 1 

 or 2. Fruit, a berry, or drupe. Embryo large, curved, in- 

 cluded in the fleshy albumen. 



A small order, mostly tropical. Tho roots usually possess bitter and tonio 

 properties. Tho Mcnispermum (Moonaeed), one species of which yields Co- 

 lumbo, and the Anamirta Cocculus, the Cocculus Jndicus of tho shops, whoso 

 narcotic fruit is extensively used in adulterating malt liquors, are good ex- 



.un;i!. -. 



ORDER V. Berberidaceee. 



Herbs, or shrubs. Leaves alternate, simple, or compound, 

 mostly exstipulate. Flowers perfect. Sepals 3 6, arranged in 

 1 or 2 rows. Petals as many as the sepals, and opposite them ; 

 or else twice as many. Stamens definite, as many as the petals, 

 and opposite them ; or else twice as many. Anthers extroree, 

 usually opening by recurved valves, as in fig. 5, Plate XXV. 

 Ovary consisting of a single carpel, forming in fruit a 1-celled 

 berry, or capsule. Seeds few ; rarely many. 



The Herberts (Barberry), and Podophyllnin (Ifay-apple), are familiar ex- 

 amples. 



GROUP II. 

 ORDER VI. Cabombacese. 



Aquatic herbs. Leaves floating, entire, centrally peltate. 

 Flowers small, solitary. Sepals 34, colored raside, persistent. 

 Petals 34, alternate with them, persistent Stamens hypogy- 

 noue, 6 36. Anthers innate. Carpels 2 18, indehisceut Seeds 

 pendulous, globular. 



A very small aquatic order, a good example of which Is scon In tho Brase- 

 nia, or Wattr-tliitul. 



ORDER VII. Nelumbiaceaa. 



Aquatic herbs, with a somewhat milky juice. Leaves radical, 

 very large, orbicular, peltate. Flowers large, solitary, on long 

 scapes. Sepals 4 5, deciduous. Petals numerous, in many 

 rows, arising from the base of the ob-conical disk. Stamens in- 

 definite, in several rows, with petaloid filaments, and adnate 

 anthers. Carpels several, separately immersed in hollows of the 

 large, flat-topped torus. Seeds destitute of albumen. Embryo 

 very large, with a highly developed plumule. 



A very showy order, consisting of tho genus Nelumbluin, the two species 

 of which are native, one of Asia, and the other of tho United States. 



ORDER VIII. Nymphoeacese. 



Aquatic herbs. Leaves peltate, or cordate, arising from a 

 creeping rhizoma. Flowers large, showy, often fragrant Sepals 

 and petals several, or numerous, imbricated in several rows, and 

 passing into each other, persistent; the latter inserted in the 

 fleshy disk, which surrounds the ovary. Stamens numerous, in 

 several rows, with adnate and introrse anthers, and many of the 

 filaments petaloid. Ovary many-celled, many-seeded, crowned 

 by the radiate stigma, indehiscent Seeds attached to the 

 spongy placentae, anatropous. 



The beautiful and fragrant Nymphoal ( WMtt Pond-Lily), the not less curl- 

 ons Nuphar (Yellow 1'ond. Lily), the celebrated Lotus of Kgypt, fig. 4, Plate 

 XXIX., and the splendid Victoria of South America, fig. 9, are fine examples. 



