82 viOLACE.f:. (violet family.) 



1. I. polygalsefolium, Vent. Stems low, from a woody base; leaves 

 linear to oblauceolate, or the lower obovate, entire, the stipules leaf-like or 

 small or none ; flowers solitary, nodding, 2" long, white. (I. lineare, Torr.) 

 — Kan. and south west ward. 



Order J5. CARYOPHYLLACE^E. (Pink Family.) 



Herbs, loith opposite entire leaves, symmetrical 4. -b-merous flowers, toith 

 or without petals ; the distinct stamens no more than twice the number of the 

 sepals, either hypogynous or ptrigynous ; styles 2-5 (or rarely united into 

 one) ; seeds several or usually mahj, attached to the base or to the central 

 column of the 1-celled (rarely 3 - 5-celled) pod, with a slender embryo coiled 

 or curved around the outside of mealy albumen, in IJiantrlL.i nearly straight. 

 — Bland herbs; the stems usually swollen at the joints; uppermost 

 leaves rarely alternate. Leaves often united at the base. Calyx per- 

 sistent. Styles stigmatic along the inside. Seeds amphitropous or 

 campylotropous. 



Tribe I. SILENE^. Sepals miited into a tube or cup. Petals (mostly convolute in 

 the bud) and stamens (10) borne on the stipe or stalk of the ovarj', the former with slen- 

 der claws, to the base of which the corresponding filaments often adhere, included in 

 the calyx-tube. Seeds numerous. — Stipules none. Flowers often large and show^. 



♦ Calyx with scaly bractiets or small leaves at the base. Seeds flattened on the back, attached 

 by their face ; embryo nearly straight. 



1. Dianthus. Calyx terete, mostly cylindrical. Styles 2. 



* ♦ Calyx naked. Seeds globular or kidney-shaped ; embryo curved or coiled. 



2. Gypsophila. Calyx top-shaped or campanulate. Pod deeply 4-valved Styles 2. 



3. Saponaria. Calyx oblong-cylindrical, obscurely nerved, terete or 5-angled. Pod shortly 



4-valved. Styles 2. 



4. Silene. Calyx 5-toothed, 10-nerved. Styles 3. 



5. L,yclinis. Calyx 5-toothed, lO-nerved. Styles 5, rarely 4. 



Tribe II. AL,SINE^. Sepals distinct or nearly so, imbricated in the bud. Petals 

 when present without claws, mostly imbricated, and with the stamens inserted at the 

 base of the sessile ovary, or into a little disk. Pod splitting into valves or teeth, several - 

 many-seeded. Stamens opposite the sepals, when not more in number. — Low herbs. 

 ♦ Stipules none. 



■t- Styles opposite the sepals, or, when fewer, opposite those which are exterior in the bud. 

 ++ Pod short, splitting into as many valves as styles ; valves often bifid or 2-parted. 



6. Arenaria. Petals entire. Styles usually 3. Valvesof the pod entire, bifid, or 2-parted. 



7. Stellaria. Petals 2-cleft or none. Styles usually 3. Valves bifid or 2-parted. 



++ Pod cylindrical, dehiscent by twice as many equal teeth as styles. 



8. Holosteum. Petals denticulate or notched. Styles usually 3. Seeds fixed by the 



face. 



9. Cerastium. Petals notched or 2-cleft. St5']es -5 or 4. Seeds fixed edgewise. 



^- •(- Styles alternate with the sepals. Stamens as many, or twice as many. 



10. Sagina. Petals 4 or 5, entire, or none. Styles 4 or 5. Pod short, 4- 5-valved. 



* * Stipules present. Pod short. 



11. Buda« Styles 3. Pod 3-valved. Leaves opposite. 



12. Spergula. Styles 5. Valves of the pod opposite the sepals. Leaves vvhorled. 



