COLUMNIFER^]. 421 



and differently shaped ; the 5 stamens have very short and thick 

 filaments united at the base, and their anthers finally adhere to- 

 gether and remain in this condition, covering over the gyriceceum ; 

 the . filaments ultimately rupture at the base, and the entire 

 anthers are raised on the apex of the gynceceum as it grows up. 

 The gynceceum has a sessile stigma and a 5-locular ovary. The 

 fruit is a capsule which, on maturity, opens suddenly when 

 irritated, dividing into valves from the base upwards, and as the 

 5 valves roll up elastically, the seeds are shot out on all sides to 

 considerable distances ; a central column persists (Fig. 439). The 

 embryo is straight, and without endosperm. 



Impatiem ; in Europe only I. noli-rne-tanyere. 225 species ; especially from 

 Asia. Several species have two kinds of flowers: small, cleistogamic, but fertile; 



FIG. 438. Diagram of Impatiens glanduligera. FIG. 439. Fruit of Impatiens. 



and large, coloured flowers, which in I. balsamine (ornamental plant, E. Ind.) 

 are protandrous and pollinated by hive- and humble-bees, as they suck the honey 

 from the spur. 



Order 6. Limnanthaceae. The flowers are regular and differ from all the 

 other orders in the family by having the carpels not in front of the petals, but 

 in front of the sepals (which are valvate), and further, the loculi are nearly free 

 individually, but with a common yynobastic style ; the ovules are ascending and 

 apotropom (anatropous with ventral raphe). The fruit is a schizocarp* with 

 nut-like cocci. Limnanthes (4 species; N. Am.) perhaps belongs to another 

 family. 



Order 7. Humiriaceae. Trees and shrubs; about 20 species; Trop. Am. 



Family 13. Columniferae. 



The chief characteristics of the orders belonging to this family 

 are the ^ > regular, generally 5-merous, liypogynous flowers with 



