GROUPS AND ORDERS. • 23 



XX Stamens 5, cohering in a ring around the ovary. 



4. Violaceous plants — herbs ; corolla irregular ; petals five. 



tt Seeds aft ached in the axis or centre of the carpels (\. e. 

 placentas axile) . 

 X Flowers symmetrical, i.e. the parts equal or proportional 

 in number. 



5. Caryophyllaceous plants— herbs ; leaves undivided, without 



stipules ; flowers regular ; stamens definite. 



6. Geraniaceous plants — herbs ; leaves lobed, with stipules ; 



flowers regular ; styles and carpels combined around a long 

 beaked axis. 



7. Oxalidaceous plants — herbs ; leaves in British species trifo- 



liate ; flowers regular ; styles distinct. 



XX Flowers unsymmefrical, i. e. the parts neither equal nor 

 proportional in number. 



8. Aceraceous plants — trees ; flowers regular ; stamens dis- 



tinct, definite ; fruit consisting of two winged nuts. 



9. Polygalaceous plants — herbs ; flowers very irregular ; sta- 



mens combined in two parcels. 



Calyciflores: Polypetalous dichlamydeous plants with the 

 petals usually distinct, and the stamens perigynous or epigy- 

 nous ; Orders 10 to 17. 



* Stamens perigynous. 

 t Carpels more or less distinct or single. 

 X Ovary superior, the calyx distinct from the carpels. 



10. Leguminous plants — herbs or shrubs ; flowers very irre- 



gular, papilionaceous ; the fruit a single carpel forming 

 legume ; stamens 10, all or 9 of them united. 



11. Rosaceous plants — herbs or trees; flowers regular, rarely 



without petals ; stamens indefinite ; fruit one-seeded nuts 

 or drupes, or follicles containing several seeds. 



