THE POLYPETALOUS ORDERS. 



399 



family. The tough woody fibre of the bark (flax) is of the high- 

 est importance : the seeds yield a copious mucilage, and the fixed 

 oil expressed from them is applied to various uses in the arts. The 

 flowers are commonly handsome. The flowers of the succeeding 

 families are formed on the same general plan. 



748. Orfl. Geraniacese (the Craneslill Family). Herbs or shrub- 

 by plants, commonly strong-scented ; with palmately veined and 

 usually lobed leaves, mostly with stipules; the lower opposite. 

 Flowers regular, or somewhat irregular. Calyx of five persistent 

 sepals, imbricated in aestivation. Petals five, with claws, mostly 



635 



convolute in aestivation. Stamens 10, the five exterior hypogy- 

 nous, occasionally sterile ; the filaments all broad and united at 

 the base. Ovary of five two-ovuled carpels, 

 attached to the base of an elongated axis (gy- 

 nobase) to which the styles cohere : in fruit 

 the distinct one-seeded carpels separate from 

 the axis, by the twisting or curling back of the 

 persistent indurated styles from the base up- 

 wards. Seeds with no albumen : cotyledons 

 convolute and plaited together, bent on the 

 short radicle. Ex. Geranium (Fig. 632-638), or Cranesbill. 



FIG. 632. Radical leaf of Geranium maculatum (Cranesbill). 633. A flowering branch. 

 634. A flower with the calyx and corolla removed, showing the stamens, &c. 635. The pistil 

 in fruit ; the indurated styles separating below from the prolonged axis, and curving back elas- 

 tkally, carrying with them the membranous carpels. 636. A magnified seed. 637. A croes- 

 section of the same, showing the folded and convolute cotyledons. 



FIG. 633. Diagram of the flower of a Geranium. 



