4 SYNOPTICAL KEY. 
with alternate dissected leaves without stipules. 
19 Oxalidacew. Flowers 5-merous: sepals imbricated and petals mostly 
_ convolute in the bud: carpels combined into a 5-celled and few-many- 
ovuled capsule. Low herbs with sour juice and alternate or radical 
trifoliate leaves. 
= = = Flowers very irregular. . 
20 Balsaminacex. Sepals 5, imbricated in the bud: petals 4, united in 
pairs, rarely 5 and distinct: fruit a 5-celled several-seeded capsule. 
Coarse succulent herbs with entire’ leaves Without stipules. ~ 
_ * ** * Ovary compound with central placent#: stamens borne up- 
on a more or less perigynous disk: flowers mostly polygamous or die- 
cious: calyx persistent or the limb deciduous::cells of the ovary 1-few- 
ovuled: seeds mostly erect or ascending and albuminous. 
21 Celastracew. Flowers perfect, 4-5-merous: capsule 2-5-celled: seeds 
arillate. Shrubs with opposite pinnately veined leaves and no stipules. 
22 Rhamnacee. Calyx valvate, the 4 or 5 lobes alternate with as many 
stamens, deciduous: petals often none: style often 4- or 5- lobed or 
cleft: fruit a berry, drupe-like, or dry, 1-4-celled. Shrubs or trees with 
simple leaves and small stipules. ' 
23 Vitacew. Flowers 4-5-merous: calyx minute: petals valvate with a 
stamen at the base of each: fruit a 2-celled, 2-4-seeded berry. Woody 
vines climbing by tendrils. 
24 Aceracex. Flowers dicecious or polygamous, often apetalous: styles 
1-3: fruit, in ours, a double samara or a single follicle. Trees or shrubs 
with opposite, rarely alternate, leaves and mostly no stipules. 
25 Anacardiacex. Flowers mostly 5-merous: stigmas 3: fruit a drupelet. 
Shrubs with milky juice and alternate leaves without stipules. 
§ 2, Stamens perigynous (upon the calyx) or epigynous (upon 
the top of the ovary ). | 
* Ovary superior or nearly so. 
+ Carpels:solitary or distitiet.” — . 
26 Leguminose. Flowers mostly irregular: stamens 10, rarely fewer, 
mostly monadelphous (all united) or diadelphous (9 and 1): carpel soli- 
tary, becoming a legume. Herbs shrabs or trees with alternate stipu- 
late leaves. 
27 Amygdalacew. Carpel solitary or rarely 5, becoming a drupe, entirely 
free from the calyx; ovules 2, pendulous: seed usually solitary. 
28 Pomacer. Carpels 2-5, enclosed in the fleshy calyx-tube, with 2 erect 
ovules in each cell. Trees or shrubs with free stipules. 
29 Rosacex. Flowers regular, mostly 5-merous, or the stamens usually 
numerous: carpels 1-many, becoming achenes. Herbs shrubs or trees 
with alternate, mostly stipulate leaves. 
+ + Carpels united or free: seeds mostly albuminous: leaves sim- 
ple; stipules none, or adnate to the base of the petiole. 
80 Saxifragacee. Flowers 5-merous; styles or tips of the carpels distinct 
and soon divergent; fruit a 2-celled capsule. Herbs with mostly alter- 
nate simpie leaves without distinct stipules. 
81 Hydrangeacex. Flowers 5-merous: fruit a 3-5-celled capsule. Shrubs 
with opposite simple leaves without stipules. 
32 Ribesiacer. Fiowers 5-merous: fruit a l-celled berry. Shrubs with 
alternate simple-leaves with adnate stipules or none. | 
88 Crassulacee. Flowers 3 or 5-merous: stamens nearly hypogynous: 
carpels 3-5, becoming 1-many-seeded follicles. 
