78 GKRAXIUM FAMILY. 



3. FLCERKEA. Sep:ils, smn.ll petals, stigmas, and lobes of the ovary 3 ; and 



stamens 6 : otherwise like Limnanthes. 



4. GERANIUM. Sepals and petals 5, the former imbricated, the latter commonly 



convolute in the bud. Glands on the receptacle 5, alternate with the petals. 

 Stamens 10, monadelphous at the base, the alternate filaments shorter, but 

 usually bearing an hers. Style 5-clefr. Ovary 5-celled, 5-lobed, the lobes 

 separating when ripe into 5 two-ovuled but one-seeded carpels or littie pods, 

 which remain hanging by their long naked recurving styles as these split off, 

 from below upwards, from a long central beak or axis. (Lessons, p. 125, 

 fig. 277, 278.) Leaves with stipules. Herbage scented. 



5. EROD1UM. Stamens with anthers only 5. Styles when they split off from 



the beak bearded inside, often twisting spirally : otherwise as Geranium. 



$ 2. Flowers somewhat irregular, Geranium-like. Shrubby or fleshy-stemmed. 



6. PELARGONIUM. Sepals and petals 5 ; the base of one sepal extends down- 



ward on one side the pedicel forming a narrow tube or adherent spur, arid 

 the two petals on that side of the flower differ from the rest more or less in 

 size or shape. Stamens with anthers fewer than 10, commonly 7. Pistil, &c. 

 as in Geranium. Herbage scented. Leaves with stipules. 



3. Flowers very irregular, spurred, also unsymmetrical. Tender herbs. 



7- TROP.EOLUM. Sepals 5, united at the base, and in the upper side of the 

 (lower extended into a long descending spur. Petals 5, or sometimes fewer, 

 usually with claws : the two upper more or less different from the others 

 and inserted at the mouth of the spur. Stamens 8, unequ-il or dissimilar ; 

 filaments u-uallv turned downwards and curving. Ovary of 3 lobes sur- 

 rounding the base of a single style, in fruit becoming 3 thick and tleshy 

 closed separate carpels, each containing a single large seed. Herbs, climbing 

 by their long leafsta.ks ; the waterv juice with the pungent odor and taste 

 of Cress. Leaves alternate: stipules none or minute. Peduncles axillary, 

 one-flowered. 



8. IMPA TIEXS. Sepals and petals similarly colored, the parts belonging to each 

 not readily distinguished. There are 3 small outer pieces, plainly sepals, on 

 one side of the flower ; then, on the other side, a large hanging sac contracted 

 at the bottom into a spur or little tail; wirhin are two small unequally 2-lobed 

 petals, one each side of the sac. Stamens 5, short, conniving or lightly 

 cohering around and covering the 5-celled ovary, which in fruit becomes a 

 several-seeded pod : this bursts elastically, flying in pieces at the touch, 

 scattering the seeds, separating into 5 twisting valves and a thickish axis. 

 Style none. Seeds rather large. Erect, branching, succulent-stemmed herbs, 

 with simple leaves and no stipules. 



1. OXALIS, WOOD-SORREL. (Name from Greek words meaning wr- 



salt, from the oxalates or " salt-of-sorrel " contained in the juice.) 



* NcUive species, Jloiccriiiy through the summer : leaflets broadly obcordate. 



O. Stricta, YELLOW W. Extremely common in waste or cultivated soil 

 and open woodlands ; stems 3'- 1:2' high* leafy ; slender peduncles bearing an 

 umbel of 2-6 small yellow flowers, followed bv slender pods. (\) 2/ 



O. Acetosella, TRUE W. Common in mossy woods N. ; the leafstalks 

 and 1-flowered scapes 2' -4' high from a creeping scaly-toothed rootstock ; 

 flower rather large, white with delicate reddish veins. 2/ 



O. violacea, VIOLI-:T W. Common S., rarer N., in rocky or sanely soil ; 

 leafstalks and slender scape from a scaly bulb, the flowers several in an umbel, 

 middle-sized, violet. 2/ 



* * Cultivated in conservatories, from Cape of Good Hope. 



O..B6wiei, a stemless species, with a small bulb on a spindle-shaped root; 

 leafstalks and few-flowered scapes 6' -10' high; broad obeordate leaflets almost 

 2' long ; petals deep rose-color, 1' long. 



& O. speciosa is more hairy ; leaflets obovate and scarcely notched, com- 

 monly crimson underneath, only 1'long; scapes short, 1-floAvercd ; petals 1^' 

 long, pink-red with a yellowish base. 



O. fl&va,'from a strong bulb sends up to the surface a short scaly stem, 

 bearing thick flattish leafstalks and short 1-flowered scapes ; the leaflets 6-10 

 and linear ; petals nearly 1' long, yellow, often edged with reddish. 



