542 



PART IV. CLASSIFICATION. 



1 or 2 suspended ovules ; the micropyle is directed inwards : disc 

 various or wanting. 



Order 1. GEBANIACE^E. Disc usually represented by a gland at 

 the base of and outside each of the antisepalous stamens : flowers 

 usually actinomorphic : stamens connate at the base : the carpels 

 are prolonged into a carpophore (Fig. 353 A a) ; two ovules in each 

 loculus ; the fruit is septicidal from 

 below upwards, the awns of the 

 separating carpels (cocci, see p. 473) 

 rolling up (Fig. 353 B}. Seed devoid 

 of endosperm. Herbs ; leaves simple, 

 stipulate. 



Geranium has 10 stamens : in most 

 species the seed is expelled on the rolling 

 up of the awn: Geranium pratense, sylvati- 

 cum, sanguineum, columbinum, and other 

 species, the Crane's-bills, are wild in Eng- 

 land ; G. Robertianum, Herb-Robert, is 

 universally distributed. Erodium, the 

 Stork's-bill, has the 5 stamens which are 

 opposite to the petals transformed into 

 staminodes ; E. cicutarium is common in 

 waste places. Pelargonium, in many 

 varieties, is a well-known garden-plant ; 

 the flowers are irregular and dorsiventral ; 

 the disc is absent, but the posterior sepal 

 is provided with a glandular spur which 

 adheres to the pedicel. The cocci of Ero- 

 dium and Pelargonium are indehiscent, and are forced into the ground 

 by the movement of the hygroscopic awn. 



Order 2. LINACEJE. Disc generally a whorl of 10 small extra- 

 staminal glands : formula K5, (75, ( | A f 5 + 5), G- : flowers acti- 

 nomorphic, rarely all the whorls are tetramerous : stamens mona- 

 delphous at the base ; the whorl of stamens opposite to the petals 

 is replaced by staminodes . each loculus of the ovary contains two 

 ovules, and is often divided into two by a more or less complete 

 false dissepiment : seed usually contains endosperm : capsule septi- 

 cidal. Herbs or shrubs ; leaves simple, entire, with or without 

 stipules. 



Linum usitatissimum is the Flax : the strong bast-fibres are used in 

 weaving linen ; the seeds contain oil ; the walls of the outer cells of the 

 testa are mucilaginous. There are several British species of Linum. 

 Radio! a, the other British genus, has tetramerous flowers. 





FIG. 353. Fruit of Geranium. A 

 Before, R after splitting into cocci ; 

 s pedicel ; / loculi of the ovary ; a 

 iu B the awn; n stigma ; a and b 

 carpophore (magr.). 



