380 



CARYOPHYLLE^E. 



united at the base and opening at the top (f. 78. a.), and toothed ; 

 teeth equal in number to the valves of the capsule, sometimes 

 entire, sometimes bifid, usually 1 -celled, but sometimes 2-5- 

 celled from the partitions jutting out from the valves to the 

 central placenta, sometimes incomplete, sometimes continuous 

 to the axis. Placenta always central, it is free and rather 

 conical in the 1-celled capsule, and sometimes, though seldom, 

 continuous with the base of the styles ; in the many-celled cap- 

 sules it is connected with the dissepiments. Seeds indefinite, 

 rarely definite, disposed along the central placenta, 2 rows in a 

 series, with as many series as there are styles, and alternating with 

 them. Albumen mealy, usually central. Embryo sometimes 

 perepheric, more or less incurved, rarely straight, central, with 

 the radicle pointing towards the hilum. This order is com- 

 posed of herbs or subshrubs with knotted stems, opposite, entire 

 leaves, which are usually connate at the base. The flowers 

 are terminal, solitary, or disposed in racemes, panicles, or co- 

 rymbs, they are either white, yellow, or red, or the shades between 

 these colours. They are inhabitants of mountains and pastures 

 of all parts of Europe, Siberia, the North of Africa and North 

 America ; few are to be met with within the tropics. Most of 

 the genera are ornamental and well adapted for ornamenting 

 rock-work and flower-borders ; but in Didnthus the pride of the 

 order consists. This genus is almost unrivalled for the brilliancy 

 and fragrance of its flowers, and for the neatness of its leaves. 

 Some are trifling weeds, as Spergula, Alsine, and Cerastium. 

 The medical virtues of this order are but slight. Saponaria 

 officinalis and one or two others have been praised for possessing 

 antisyphilitic properties ; the root of Silene Virginiana is reputed 

 anthelmintic, and the Arenaria peploides, being fermented, is 

 used by the Icelanders as food. This order differs from all the 

 foregoing in the placentas being central, not intervalvular, nor 

 marginal, and from L'meae in the cells being many-seeded, not 1- 

 2-seeded as in that order, except from abortion, as well as in the 

 valves of the capsule being connected, not separating from the base. 

 From Malvaceae it differs in the capsule not being of numerous 

 distinct carpels surrounding the axis. The seeds of all retain 

 their vegetative power for a length of time, therefore they are 

 easily introduced in a living state from any part of the world. 



Synopsis of the genera. 



TRIBE I. 



SILE'NE*. Sepals united into a cylindrical tube, which is 4-5- 

 toothed at the apex. 



1 GYPSOPHILA. Calyx campanulate, angular, somewhat 5- 

 lobed, with membranous margins. Petals 5, not unguiculate. 

 Stamens 10. Styles 2. Capsule 1-celled. 



2 BA'NFFYA. Calyx tubular, profoundly 5-parted. Petals 

 5, undivided. Stamens 10, 5 of which are fertile. Styles 2. 

 Capsule 1-celled, few-seeded. 



3 DIA'NTHUS. Calyx tubular, 5-toothed, furnished with 2-6 

 imbricate, opposite scales at the base. Petals 5 (f. 78. b.) with 

 long claws. Stamens 10. Styles 2. Capsule 1-celled (f. 78.). 

 Seeds compressed. 



4 SAPONA'RIA. Calyx tubular, 5-toothed, naked at the base. 

 Petals 5, unguiculate. Stamens 10. Style 2. Capsule 1-celled. 



5 CUCU'BALUS. Calyx campanulate, 5-toothed, naked. Pe- 

 tals 5, unguiculate, with a bifid limb. Capsule fleshy, 1-celled. 



6 SILE'NE. Calyx tubular, 5-toothed, naked. Petals 5, un- 

 guiculate, with an entire or bifid limb, usually furnished with a 

 crown of petal-like bifid scales in the throat. Stamens 10. 

 Styles 3. Capsules 3-celled at the base, opening at the top, 

 6-toothed. 



7 VISCA'RIA. Calyx cylindrical, 5-toothed, naked. Petals 

 5, unguiculate, with scales in the throat. Stamens 10. Styles 

 5. Capsule 5-celled. Anthophorum long. 



8 LY'CHNIS. Calyx tubular, cylindrically-clavate, 5-toothed, 

 naked. Petals 5, unguiculate, usually furnished with a crown 

 of petals like scales in the throat. Stamens 10. Styles 5. Cap- 

 sule 1-celled. Anthophorum long. 



9 AGROSTE'MMA. Calyx egg-shaped, 5-toothed, naked. Petals 

 5, unguiculate, furnished with a crown of petal-like scales in 

 the throat. Stamens 10; Styles 5. Capsule 1-celled. Antho- 

 phorum short or wanting. 



10 GITIIA'GO. Calyx campanulate, coriaceous, with 5 long 

 segments. Petals 5, unguiculate, naked. Stamens 10. Styles 

 5. Capsule 1-celled. Anthophorum wanting. 



1 1 VELE'ZIA. Calyx tubular, 5-toothed. Petals 5, with long 

 filiform bearded claws (f. 79. c.), and an emarginated limb. 

 Stamens 10. Styles 2. Capsule 1-celled (f. 79. &.). 



12 DRY PIS. Calyx tubular, 5-toothed. Petals 5, unguicu- 

 late, with 2-parted limbs and with a crown of bifid petal-like 

 scales in the throat. Stamens 5. Styles 3. Capsule 1-celled, 

 cut round about, 1 -seeded from abortion. 



13 VIVIA'NIA. Calyx campanulate, 5-toothed. Petals 5, ungui- 

 culate. Stamens 10. Stigmas 3. Capsule 3-celled, half 3-valved, 

 many-seeded. 



TRIBE II. 

 ASINE'JE. Sepals 4-5, free, or hardly connected at the base. 



14 ORTE'GIA. Calyx 5-parted. Corolla wanting. Stamens 3 ; 

 anthers cordate. Style 1 , crowned by a capitate stigma. Cap- 

 side 1-celled, 3-valved. Seeds fixed to the bottom of cap- 

 sule. 



15 GOU'FFEIA. Calyx 5-parted, spreading. Petals 5, entire. 

 Stamens 10. Styles 2. Capsule globose, 1-celled, 2-valved, 1- 

 2-seeded. 



16 BUFFO' NIA. Calyx of 4 sepals. Petals 4, entire. Sta- 

 mens 4. Styles 2. Capsule compressed, 1-celled, 2-valved, 2- 

 seeded. 



17 S AGIN A. Calyx 4-5-parted. Petals 4-5, or wanting. 

 Stamens 4-5. Capsule 4-5-valved, 1-celled, many-seeded. 



18 Mffi'NCHiA. Sepals and petals 4. Stamens 4. Styles 4. 

 Capsule membranous, 1-valved, 1-celled, 8-10-toothed at the 

 apex, many-seeded ; seeds kidney-shaped. 



19 HYMENE'LLA. Calyx 4-parted, spreading. Petals 4, 

 oblong, entire, length of the calyx. Stamens 4, alternate with 

 the petals, joined at the base by a little 8-toothed crown. 

 Ovary ovate. Styles 3. Capsule S-celled. 



