388 PITTOSPORACEJE BRKXIACE^ ZYGOPHYLLACE X. 



ture, with alternate exstipulate leaves, and axillary, often gay, flowers. 

 They are natives of the temperate parts of America, and are exten- 

 sively cultivated on account of their showy yellow, orange, scarlet, 

 and occasionally blue flowers. They have more or less pungency hi 

 their fruit, which is used as a cress. The unripe fruit of Tropceolum 

 majus, common Indian Cress, has been pickled and used as capers. 

 Their roots are sometimes eaten. Lindley includes Limnantheaj in this 

 order, and enumerates 6 genera, including 44 species. Example 

 Tropseolum. 



823. Order 53. Piitosporacete, the Pittosporum Family. (Polypet. 

 Hypog.) Sepals 4 or 5, deciduous, distinct or partially united; aestiva- 

 tion imbricated. Petals 4 or 5, sometimes slightly cohering, with 

 imbricated aestivation. Stamens 5, distinct, alternate with the petals. 

 Ovary single, 2-5-celled ; style 1 ; stigmas 2-5, equal in number to 

 the placentas. Fruit capsular or berried, with many-seeded cells, 

 which are sometimes incomplete ; dehiscence loculicidal. Seeds often 

 enveloped in a glutinous or resinous pulp, anatropal, with a minute 

 embryo lying in fleshy albumen; radicle long; cotyledons very short. 

 Trees or shrubs, with simple, alternate, exstipulate leaves and 

 flowers occasionally polygamous. They are found chiefly in Austra- 

 lasia. Many of them are resinous, and, in some instances, the berries 

 are eaten. Lindley mentions 12 genera, including 78 species. Exam- 

 ples Pittosporum, Billardiera, Sollya. 



824. Order 54. Brexiacese, the Brexia Family. (Polypet. Hypoy.) 

 Calyx small, persistent, of 5 coherent sepals, with an imbricated aesti- 

 vation. Petals 5, with twisted aestivation. Stamens 5, alternate with 

 the petals, arising from a narrow cup or disk, which is toothed between 

 each stamen ; anthers bilocular, erect, opening longitudinally and in- 

 trorsely. Ovary 5 -celled ; ovules numerous, in 2 rows ; placentas 

 central ; style 1 ; stigma simple. Fruit drupaceous, 5-celled, many- 

 seeded. Seeds having two distinct coverings, anatropal ; embryo straight ; 

 radicle cylindrical ; cotyledons ovate, obtuse. Trees with coriaceous, 

 alternate leaves, having small deciduous stipules. They exist princi- 

 pally in Madagascar. Lindley associates some perigynous genera with 

 Brexia, and places the order near Saxifragaceaa. He enumerates 4 

 genera, including 6 species. Example Brexia. 



825. Order 55. Xygophyiincca-, the Guaiacum Family. (Polypet. 

 Hypog.} Calyx 4-5-parted, with convolute aestivation. Petals alter- 

 nate with the calycine segments, with imbricated aestivation. Stamens 

 twice as many as the petals ; filaments dilated at the base, usually 

 arising from scales (fig. 313). Ovary simple, 4-5-celled; divisions 

 occasionally formed by spurious dissepiments (figs. 438, 439). Ovules 

 2 or more in each cell, usually pendulous; style simple, 4-5-furrowed; 

 stigma simple, or 4-5-lobed. Fruit capsular, or rarely fleshy, with 

 4-5 angles or wings, 4-5-valved, either opening by loculicidal dehis- 



