ORDER XVII. CISTACE.E. ORDER XXIV. TILIACEJE. 



109 



loculicidal dehiscence, and 2 5 parietal placenta;. Seeds usually 

 many. Embryo small. 



A small order of marsh plants, of -which Drosera, or the Sun-dew, is an ex- 

 ample. To this order the following suborder is usually appended : 



SUB-ORDER. PARXASSLE. Plants without glandular hairs, the 

 petals imbricate in prefloration, and furnished with 5 appendages 

 opposite each petal, consisting of several sterile stamens united 

 together. Stamens somewhat perigynous. Anthers introrse. 

 Stigmas placed opposite the 4 parietal placentae. Seeds desti- 

 tute of albumen. 



A beautiful example is seen in Parnassia, Grass of Parnassus. 



GROUP IV. 

 ORDER XVII. Cistacese. 



Herbs, or low shrubs. Leaves simple, the lowest commonly 

 opposite ; the rest usually alternate. Flowers perfect, yellow, 

 sometimes white, or red. Sepals mostly 5, the 3 inner convolute 

 in prefloration, the 2 outer minute, or wanting. Petals 5, rarely 

 3, regular, in prefloration usually convolute in a direction con- 

 trary to that of the sepals. Stamens indefinite, sometimes few, 

 hypogynous, distinct Anthers innate. Ovary of 3 5 united 

 carpels. Style 1. Fruit a 1 -celled, or imperfectly 3 5-celled 

 capsule. Seeds few, or numerous. 



A small and unimportant order, distinguished by the very showy flowers of 

 some of the species. The most common examples are Helianthemum (Rock 

 Rose, or Ice Plant), and Lechea (Pin Weed). 



ORDER XVIII. Hypericaceae. 



Herbs, or shrubs. Leaves opposite, entire, without stipules, 

 usually punctate with black glands and transparent dots. Flow- 

 ers mostly regular. Sepals 4 5, distinct, or united at base, 

 persistent. Petals as many as the sepals, and alternate with 

 them, twisted in prefloration. Stamens hypogynous, usually 

 numerous, and cohering by their filaments in 3, or more sets ; 

 sometimes definite, and monadelphous, or distinct. Anthers 

 versatile. Ovary composed of 2 5 united carpels. Styles 2 5, 

 distinct, or partially united. Fruit a many-seeded capsule, with 

 septicidal dehiscence, either 1-celled, or more or less completely 

 2 5-celled. 



A small order of unimportant plants. The Hypericum (St. John's Wort), is 

 a good example. 



ORDER XIX. Elatinaceae. 



Annual herbs. Leaves opposite, with minute, membranaceous 

 stipules. Flowers minute, axillary. Sepals 2 5, mostly distinct, 

 persistent. Petals as many as the sepals, and alternate with 

 them. Stamens as many, or twice as many as the petals. Ovary 

 2 5-celled. Styles, or stigmas, 2 5. Capsule 2 5-celled, 2 5- 

 valved, many-seeded, crowned by the persistent stigmas. 



A very small order of unimportant marsh plants, of which our only example 

 is a species of Elatine. 



ORDER XX. Caryophyllaceae. 



Herbs. Sterns with tumid nodes. Leaves opposite, entire, 

 sometimes verticillate. Flowers regular. Sepals 4, or 5, some- 

 times coherent in a tube. Petals 4 or 5, or none. Stamens as 

 many, or twice as many as the petals, rarely only 2 or 3. Ovary 

 mostly 1-celled. Styles 2 5, stigmatose on the inner side. Fruit 

 a 1-celled utricle, or more commonly a capsule, 2 5-valved, or 

 opening at top by twice as many valves, or teeth, as there are 

 stigmas. 



A large order containing many beautiful plants, such as the Dianthns 

 (Pink), fig. 4, and also many insignificant weeds, of which the Stellaria (Chick- 

 weed), and Mollugo (Carpet-weed), are examples. 



Fig. 4. 



ORDER XXI. Portulacacese. 



Herbs, more or less succulent, or fleshy. Leaves opposite, or 

 alternate, entire, destitute of proper stipules. Flowers showy, 

 opening only in the sunshine, solitary. Sepals 2, often cohering 

 to the ovary at base. Petals 5, rarely more, ephemeral. Stamens 

 variable in number, sometimes as many as the petals, and oppo- 

 site them. Ovary 1-celled. Styles 2 8, stigmatose along the 

 inner surface. Fruit opening transversely, forming a pyxis, fig. 

 7, Plate XXVII. ; or else a loculicidal capsule, with as many 

 valves as there are stigmas. Seeds numerous, or few. 



A small order of unimportant plants, including, however, many with showy 

 flowers. Portulaca (Purslane), and the Claytonia are examples. 



ORDER XXII. Mesembryanthemacese. 



Succulent herbs. Leaves opposite, entire. Flowers showy, 

 opening only in sunshine. Sepals 4 8, usually 5. Petals indefi- 

 nite, colored, in many rows. Stamens indefinite, distinct. Ovary 

 many-celled, many-seeded. Stigmas numerous. Capsule opening 

 by many teeth, presenting a radiate appearance. 



A curious, and often very ornamental tribe of fleshy plants, native chiefly 

 of the Cape of Good Hope. The species of Mesembryanthemum (Ice Plant, 

 Fig Marigold), are examples. 



GROUP V. 

 ORDER XXIII. Malvaceae. 



Herbs, or shrubs, sometimes trees. Leaves alternate, stipu- 

 late. Flowers regular, axillary, often with an involucre at the 

 base of the calyx. Sepals 5, somewhat united. Petals as many 

 as the sepals, alternate with them, hypogynous. Stamens nu- 

 merous, monadelphous, hypogynous, united to the petals at 

 base. Anthers uniform, 1-celled, bursting transversely. Pollen 

 hispid. Ovary 1, several-celled; or ovaries several, arranged 

 circularly round a common axis. Fruit a several-celled capsule, 

 or consisting of several separate, or separable 1 2 seeded carpels. 



A rather large order of plants usually with very showy flowers, and abound- 

 ing in mucilage. Their most important product is Cotton, derived from two 

 species of Gossypinm, forming the hairy covering of the seed. Examples aro 

 Malva, the Jfattow, and the Hibiscus. 



ORDER XXIV. Tiliacese. 



Trees, or shrubby plants. Leaves alternate, stipulate, de- 

 ciduous. Sepals 4 5, deciduous. Petals 4 5, with 4 5 glands 



