RESEDACE,E. I. RESEDA. 



287 



the top. Capsules (berry in Ochradenus) trigonal or tetragonal, 

 membranous, inflated, open at the top, with the seminiferous 

 nerves equal in number with the stigmas ; these are perpendicular 

 and parietal. Seeds simple, cochleated, sessile, pendulous, white 

 or yellow, disposed in an alternate double series, but they 

 are sometimes scattered from abortion ; umbilicus small, ob- 

 lique, with the upper side approximating the recess of the 

 radicle ; outer coat of seed crustaceous, ornamented with minute 

 dots, disposed in elevated lines ; inner coat membranous, dia- 

 phanous. Albumen none. Embryo curved, conforming to 

 the cavity of the seed, terete, yellowish, rather narrowed towards 

 the base, with semi-cylindrical cotyledons, and with a supe- 

 rior cylindrical thick radicle, which is very blunt at the base, 

 and equal in length with the cotyledons, and opposite the umbi- 

 licus. This order agrees with Ranunculacece, especially with 

 Delphinium, in the complicated stigma, and structure of the 

 ovary, as well as in the seminiferous placentas. It is also allied 

 to Capparidece and Tropceolece, in the petals being unguiculate, 

 as well as in the seed being destitute of albumen. The Cappa- 

 ridece, Resedacece, Cruciferce, Papaveracece, and Tropceolece, ap- 

 pear to constitute a grand natural class ; and near to them, but 

 at different points, must be arranged the Ranunculacece, Poly- 

 galece, and Balsaminece, an arrangement which the many analo- 

 gies and affinities existing between these families appear to 

 justify. 



Most of the species of Reseda are rather ornamental ; and 

 R. odorata is cultivated extensively for the fragrance of its blos- 

 soms. All the species are herbaceous, or slightly suffruticose. 

 The leaves are simple, trifid, or pinnate ; and the flowers, which 

 are either yellow or white, are small, disposed in dense or loose 

 terminal racemes. The seeds are kidney-shaped, and retain 

 their vegetating power a considerable time, therefore they are 

 easily introduced, in a living state, from one part of the world 

 to another. 



This Order differs from Cruciferce in the capsules being uni- 

 locular, in the stamens being indefinite, in the seeds being desti- 

 tute of an umbilical cord, as well as in the capsules being bladdery 

 and open at the top. It differs in these two last characters from 

 all die neighbouring orders, except Datiscece. 



Synopsis of the Genera. 



1 RESEDA. Calyx of 4-5-6 narrow segments. Petals 4-5-6 

 cloven. Capsule bladdery, 3-4 horned, many-seeded. 



2 OCHRADE'NUS. Calyx rotate, 5-toothed, replete with an 

 annular gland. Petals wanting. Berry many-seeded. 



I. RESE^DA (from reseda, to calm, to appease ; the Latins 

 thought it useful as a topical application in external bruises.) 

 Lin. gen. ed. Schrceb. no. 831. Willd. spec. 2. p. 876. 



LIN. SYST. Octo-Polyandria. Tri-Tetragynia. Calyx di- 

 vided almost to the base into 4-5-6 narrow segments. Petals 

 cleft, equal in number with the segments of the calyx. Capsule 

 bladdery, with a hole at the top when ripe. Herbaceous or 

 slightly shrubby plants. 



1. Leaves simple, entire. Petals trifid and quinquifid. Torus 

 much dilated on one side. 



1 R. SESAMOIDES (Lin. spec. 644.) leaves lanceolate, entire, ob- 

 tuse, smooth ; petals 5 ; capsule furnished with 4 reflexed horns. 

 If. . H. Native of the south of France, Spain, and Portugal, 

 on walls and among rubbish. Flowers small, white, in long 

 racemes. Stems prostrate. Calyx reflexed, 3 of the segments 

 pointed upwards, and 2 downwards. 



Sesamum-like Mignonette. Fl. June, July. Clt. 1787. PI. 

 1 foot long. 



2 R. PURPURA'SCENS (Lin. spec. 644.) leaves linear, obtuse ; 

 flowers pentagynous. !. H. Native of the south of Europe, 

 particularly about Montpelier. Stem purplish. Leaves like 

 flax. Flowers of greenish-purple colour, in long spikes. 



Purplish Mignonette. Fl. Ju. July. PI. foot. 



3 R. LINIFO'LIA (Horn. hort. hafn. 2. p. 501.) leaves linear- 

 awl-shaped, channelled ; capsules 3-toothed. O H. Native of 

 the south of Europe and Egypt. R. subulata Delile. ill. p. 15. 



Flax-leaved Mignonette. Fl. July, August. Clt. 1819. PI. 

 1 foot. 



4 R. GLAU'CA (Lin. spec. 644.) leaves linear, glaucous, toothed 

 at the base ; flowers tetragynous. if.. H. Native of Spain and 

 Egypt. Mor. oxon. 3. p. 601. sect. 15. t. 6. f. 4. Flowers 

 pale yellow, disposed in long spikes. Pinnula of leaves not 

 changed into scarious teeth. (Link.) 



Glaucous Mignonette. Fl. May, Jul. Clt. 1748. PI. 1 ft. 



5 R. DIPE'TALA (Ait. hort. kew. ed. 1. vol. 2. p. 132.) leaves 

 linear, quite entire, acute ; flowers tetragynous, 2-petalled ; pe- 

 tals undivided. $ . G. Native of the Cape of Good Hope. 

 R. Capensis, Burm. prod. cap. 13. Habit of R. sesamoides. 

 Stem suffruticose, erect, branched ; branches round, smooth. 

 Flowers white, remote, in terminal racemes. Segments of calyx 

 6, minute, with white margins. Petals cuneated, quite entire. 

 Capsule globose. 



Trvo-petalled Mignonette. Fl. Aug. Clt. 1774. PL 1| foot 



6 R. SCOPA'RIA (Brouss. in Willd. enum. 499.) leaves linear, 

 quite entire, smoothish ; stem shrubby ; branches twiggy ; cap- 

 sules clavate, 3-toothed. 1? . G. Native of Teneriffe. Flowers 

 yellow. This species comes very near R. glauca. Capsule ta- 

 pering to the base. 



Broom Mignonette. Fl. Ju. Sep. Clt. 1815. Shr. 1 foot. 



7 R. CANE'SCENS (Lin. syst. 448.) leaves lanceolate, entire, 

 wavy, pilose ; branches hairy ; capsules 6-toothed. If. . H. 

 Native of Egypt. R. hexagyna, Forsk. descr. 92. Stem erect. 

 Leaves with a pilose keel, and rather ciliated margins. Flowers 

 in racemes, with white petals and yellow anthers. Clus. hist. 1. 

 p. 296. t. 295. It appears from the description in Lin. spec. 

 644. that Linnaeus intended a very different plant from that 

 which he describes in his systema, as well as in his reference 

 to Clusius. 



Canescent Mignonette. FL May, Aug. Clt. 1597. PL 1 foot. 



8 R. LUTE'OLA (Lin. spec. 643.) leaves lanceolate, entire, 

 but furnished with a tooth on each side, at the base ; calyx 

 4-cleft, upper petal quinquefid, lateral ones trifid, lower one 

 bifid or simple. Q. H. Native of Europe in pastures, fallow- 

 fields, waste-places, and on dry banks and walls. Smith, eng. 

 bot. t. 321. Jacq. aust. 4. t. 352. Flowers yellow, trigy- 

 nous, in long spikes which are nodding at the top. It is an 

 observation of Linnaeus, that the nodding spike of the flower 

 follows the course of the sun, even when the sky is covered ; 

 pointing towards the east in the morning, to the south at 

 noon, westward in the afternoon, and north at night. Dyers 

 formerly made considerable use of this plant ; for it affords a 

 most beautiful yellow dye for cotton, woollen, silk, and linen. 

 Blue cloths are dipped in a decoction of it in order to become 

 green. The yellow colour of the paint called Dutch-pink is 

 obtained from this plant. The entire plant when it is about 

 flowering is pulled up for the use of the dyers, who employ it 



