68 viii. CRUCIFER^ (OLIVER). [Sckomcla. 



conduplicate. — Glabrous branching herbs. Leaves entire. Cauline amplexi- 

 caul. Kacemes narrow, elongate, ebracteate. Flowers pui-ple. 

 A small genus of the desert regions bordering the Red Sea. 



1. S. arabica, DC. Syst. Veg. ii. 644. Cauline leaves elliptic-oblong, 

 broadly pointed or obtuse, sessile, with a deeply cordate or auricled amplexi- 

 caul base. Eaceraes -^-1 ft. or longer. Siliquas -^-f in. long, \-\ in. broad, 

 much exceeding the ascending pedicel. 



Nile Iiand. Abyssinia {Sckweinf. et Asch. Enu7n). 

 Occurs in Egypt, Arabia, etc. 



13. CAPSELLA, Moench; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. PI. i. 86. 



Sepals equal, spreading. Siliqua (in the only tropical African species) 

 obcordate-cuneate, laterally compressed ; septum very narrow. Style short. 

 Seeds numerous, Kadicle incumbent. — Branched annual herbs. Radical 

 leaves tufted entire or pinnatifid. Flowers small, white, racemose. 



A small genus of which two or three species are very widely diffused weeds in temperate 

 countries. 



*1. C. Bursa-pastoris, BC. Syst. Veg. ii. 383. An erect often more 

 or less hairy herb with spreading pinnatifid or sometimes entire radical 

 leaves and elongate ebracteate racemes. Pedicels slender, patent. 



Nile Ijand. Ah^?,?,\u\?L, Schimper ! Doubtless introduced. 



A weed of cultivation.' Common everywhere in extratropical countries. 



14. SUBULARIA, Linn.; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. PI. i. 83. 



Sepals spreading. Petals sessile. Siliqua shortly stipitate, elliptical ob- 

 long or subglobose, turgid, with convex ribbed valves ; stigma sessile, entire. 

 Seeds biseriate. Cotyledons recurved against the incumbent radicle. — Small 

 aquatic glabrous annuals seldom exceeding 3 or 4 in. Leaves all radical, 

 linear or subulate. Flowers racemose or corymbose, ebracteate, small, white. 



The following is but the second species of the feuus. S. aquatica, upon which the genus 

 was based, is widely dispersed, occurring in the lakes of Northern Europe, Asia, and 

 America. 



]. S. monticola, A. Br aim ; Schweinf. Fl. Mtliiop. 76. Leaves linear, 

 obtuse. Raceme corymbose, 2-8-flowered, equalling the leaves. 

 Nile Iiand. Abyssinia, at a great elevation, Schimper. 



15. LEPIDIUM, Linn.; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. PI. i. 87. 



Sepals short, equal at the base or nearly so. 2 or 4 stamens sometimes 

 deficient. Silicule varying from oblong to obcordate, rarely nearly globose, 

 usually ranch compressed laterally, apex emarginate or nearly entire ; valves 

 keeled or winged ; septum nan'ow, membranous. Seeds ■ usually solitary in 

 each cell. Radicle incumbent or accumbent. Cotyledons entire or tripar- 

 tite. — Herbs sometimes shrubby, erect or diffuse, glabrous or pubescent. 

 Leaves various. Flowers small, white, in ebracteate racemes. 



