SAXIFRAGINJ:. 455 



dwarf-branches, the latter alone bearing the flowers. Ribes (Figs. 490-492). 

 The blades of the leaf are folded or rolled together in vernation. 

 .R. alpinum is dioecious. 



75 species; especially from the N. Temp, regions (especially N. Am ). The 

 receptacle secretes honey on its inner surface. The Gooseberry -flower is 

 slightly protandrous, others are hornogamous; insect- and self-pollination are 

 found. Tlie following are FRUIT BUSHES : R. nig rum (Black Currant), R. rubrnm 

 (Red Currant), R. grossularia (Gooseberry), originating in Northern Europe and 

 Asia. ORNAMENTAL BUSHES : the North American R. aureum (Golden Currant) 

 and R. sanguiiieum (Blood-red Currant), etc. 



Order 4. Hydrangeaceae. Shrubs, with simple, opposite leaves, without 

 stipules; flowers generally epigynous, 4-5-merous (Fig. 493). Hydrangea (H. 

 hortensia, etc.). Shrubs from N. Am. and E. Asia; corolla often valvate. The 

 inflorescence, as in the case of the inflorescence of Viburnum opulus (Guelder 

 Eose), has often irregular, large, but barren flowers at 

 the circumference, whilst the others are much smaller, 

 legular and ; the barren flowers are mostly 

 4-rnerous ; in these cases it is the calyx which is 

 large and petaloid, while the other parts of the flower 

 are more or less suppressed. The branches of the 

 inflorescence appear to be partially devoid of floral- 

 leaves, since they are displaced upon the main axis. 

 Philadelphia; racemes (with terminal flower), sepals 

 4 (valvate), petals 4 (twisted), stamens many, and car- 

 pels 4 (opposite the petals), forming a 4-loculHr ovary. 

 The numerous stamens (20-30) occur by the splitting Fiff.493. Deufaia crenata. 



of the sepal-stamens and are often therefore placed u<na ' 



in distinct bundles. Fruit a capsule. Ph. coronaria 

 (Syringa. Mock Orange-blossom), from S. Eur., is a common ornamental shrub, 

 AS also is Deutzia (Fig. 493) from N. Am. and E. Asia. The latter has S5, P5, 

 A5 + 5, G3. About 70 species. 



Order 5 (?). Pittosporacese. This order has its home especially in Australia 

 (90 species). The flower has S5, P5, A5 (episepalous), G2 (3-5), most frequently 

 a unilocular ovary with many ovules in 2 rows, borne on 2 parietal placentae, or 

 a bilocular ovary. Some have berries, others capsules. Pittosporum, Citrio- 

 batus, Sollya, Billardiera. 



Order 6. Hamamelidaceae. Flowers more or less epigyuous, with S4, PO 

 or 4, 4 fertile sepal- stamens, and 4 barren petal-stamens, bilocular ovary with 

 1-2 ovules in each loculus. Fruit a capsule. Hamanielis : one species in Japan 

 and one in N. Am. Fothergilla. Liquidambar: monoecious; flowers in capitula 

 or spikes ; $ -flowers without perianth, stamens indefinite ; -flower : slight 

 perianth, 2-locular ovary with many ovules. OFFICINAL: " Styrax-balsam," 

 which is obtained by boiling the bark of Liq. orientalis, from Asia Minor. 

 Liquidambar and Parrotia are found as fossils in the Upper Oligocene; 

 llamamelis perhaps in the Chalk. 



Finally two orders with very reduced flowers are included in this family. 



Order 7. Platanaceae. Trees, with large, scattered, palminerved and lobed 



