A SYNOPSIS OF THE PLANT KINGDOM 



39 



and the basal seeds; related also to the Crassulaceae, 

 but lacks the hypogynous scales and has basal seeds. 



This remarkable little insectivorous plant is culti- 

 vated in greenhouses as a curiosity. 



96. Saxifragacese (from the genus Saxifraga, derived 

 from the Latin signifying to break rocks, in allusion 

 to the habit of growing in the clefts of rocks). SAXI- 

 FRAGE FAMILY. Fig. 26. Herbs, shrubs, or small trees: 

 leaves alternate, rarely opposite: flowers bisexual, usu- 

 ally regular, hypogynous or perigynous, rarely epigyn- 

 ous; sepals 4-5, rarely more or fewer; petals usually of 

 the same number, valvate or imbricated, inserted with 

 the stamens at the edge of a receptacular nectariferous 

 disk; stamens of the same number as the petals and 

 alternate with them, or twice as many and the outer 

 opposite the petals; carpels 2, rarely 5, partly united, 

 rarely separate, superior or half inferior; ovules nu- 

 merous; styles and stigmas as many as the carpels : fruit 

 a capsule or berry. 



There are about 70 genera and some 700 species, 

 widely distributed but more abundant in temperate 

 regions. Many reach the arctics. Some are fossil. 

 Saxifraga is the largest genus, with 200 species in the 

 north temperate, arctic and Andean regions. Ribes 

 has 50 species. The family is closely related to the 

 Rosaceae, differing in the more abundant endosperm 

 and constantly few carpels and few stamens; related 

 also to the Crassulaceac, which has a regular numerical 

 plan and hypogynous scales; and to the Cunoniaceae 

 and HamamelidaceaB. 



The ovaries of Ribes, Philadelphus, Chrysosplenium, 

 Deutzia, Hydrangea, and some Saxifragas, and a few 

 other genera are almost wholly inferior. Parnassia has 

 staminodia in clusters at the base of each petal. The 

 fruit of Ribes is a berry. Some Heucheras have irregu- 

 lar flowers; also some Saxifragas, some Hydrangeas 

 and Tolmieas. The peripheral flowers of Hydrangea 

 often have enlarged corollas and are sterile. Water- 

 glands in the axils of the foliar teeth of some Saxifragas 

 secrete a deposit of lime. 



The rough leaves of Deutzia scabra are used in Japan 

 to polish wood. The fruits of several species of Ribes 

 are edible; R. vulgare yields the red currant; R. 

 Grossularia, the English gooseberry, and also native 

 gooseberries; R. nigrum, the black currant. Otherwise 

 the family is of economic importance only for its 

 ornamental species, which are numerous and largely 

 hardy. 



Many genera are in cultivation in this country. 

 Among these the following well-known names may be 

 noted: Deutzia; Decumaria, climbing shrub; Golden 

 Saxifrage "(Chrysosplenium); Astilbe; Hydrangea; 

 Mock-orange or Syringa (Philadelphus); Currants and 

 Gooseberries (Ribes); False Mitrewort or False Bish- 

 op's-cap or Foam-flower (Tiarella) ; Grass of Parnassus 

 (Parnassia); Mitrewort or Bishop's-cap (Mitella); 

 Alum Root or Coral Bells (Heuchera); Saxifrage and 

 Strawberry Geranium (Saxifraga). 



97. Pittosporaceas (from the genus Pittosporum, 

 the name referring to the viscid coating of the seeds). 

 PITTOSPORUM FAMILY. Trees or shrubs, often climb- 

 ing: leaves alternate, mostly leathery : flowers bisexual, 

 regular; sepals or divisions of the calyx 5, imbricated; 

 petals 5, imbricated in the bud; claws often conniv- 

 cnt or coherent; stamens 5, alternating with the petals, 

 hypcgynous, no disk at the base; carpels 2, rarely 3-5; 

 cvary 1- to several-celled; placenta parietal or axial; 

 style 1; stigmas 1 to several: fruit a capsule or berry: 

 seeds numerous or few, immersed in a pulp or viscid 

 juice. 



All the 9 genera and about 90 species are natives of 

 Australia, except the genus Pittosporum, which, how- 

 ever, is of the Old World. The largest genus is Pittos- 

 porum containing 70 species. The relationship of the 

 family is doubtful. Though in the past supposed by 

 different authors to be related to the Celastraceae, 



Polygalaceae, Caryophyllaceae, Rutaceae, Saxifragacese, 

 Ericaceae, and so on, it is, according to Pax, most 

 closely related to the Saxifragaceae,. 



The Pittosporaceae all contain resinous aromatic 

 bitter material in organized resin-canals or chambers. 

 These give the fruit a disagreeable flavor. In spite of 

 this disagreeable taste, it is said (Lemaout and De- 

 caine) that, "The natives of Australia, who to ap- 

 pease their hunger are reduced to filling their stom- 

 achs with clay mixed with organic detritus, eagerly 

 devour the fleshy fruits of this family." 



Most of the genera are in cultivation: Bellardiera; 

 Bursaria, a spiny shrub; Hymenosporum, a shrub with 

 yellow flowers; Pittosporum (Pittosporum, Karo, Taw- 

 hiwhi, Tarata, Tobira), evergreen, fragrant shrubs; 

 Sollya (Australian Bluebell Creeper). 



98. Cunoniaceae (from the genus Cunonia, named 

 after John Christian Cuno, an Amsterdam botanist of 

 the 18th century). CUNONIA FAMILY. Fig. 27. Trees 

 or shrubs: leaves opposite or whorled, simple, ternate 

 or pinnate: flowers small, densely crowded, usually 

 bisexual, hypogynous; sepals 4-5, rarely 6, usually val- 

 vate; petals 4-5, small, usually wanting; stamens twice 

 as many as the sepals, rarely just as many or more nu- 



27. CUNONIACEJE: 1. Cunonia, a, flower; 6, floral diagram. 

 BRUNIACE/E: 2. Brunia, o, flower branch; 6, flower. HAMAMELIDACEJS: 

 3. Hamamelis, a, flower; 6, floral diagram; c, fruit. 4. Liquidam- 

 bar, fruit. 



merous, exserted, attached near the edge of an intra- 

 staminal disk; ovary mostly 2-celled, superior; ovules 

 numerous, rarely few; styles 1-2; stigmas 2: fruit 

 usually a capsule, rarely a drupe or nut. 



Nineteen genera and 120 species are known, 70 spe- 

 cies of which belong to Weinmannia; all of South 

 America or the Australian region, except one in South 

 Africa. 



The family is closely related to the Saxifragacese, 

 with which it was formerly united, but because of the 

 uniform floral structure and the position of the leaves, 

 as well as the geographical distribution, it is now 

 treated as distinct. 



The wood of some species is useful; otherwise the 

 Cunoniaceae are of little economic importance. A.CTO- 

 phyllum venosum, an Australian evergreen shrub, is 

 cultivated in greenhouses. 



99. Bruniaceae (from the genus Brunia, named in 

 honor of Cornelius Brun, a traveler in the East). 

 BRUNIA FAMILY. Fig. 27. Heath-like shrubs: leaves 

 alternate: flowers bisexual, regular, epigynous; sepals 

 4-5, imbricated; petals 4-5, imbricated; stamens 4-5, 



