138 ROSACEA. [Cotoneaster. 



Shrubs or small trees. Leaves coriaceous, often downy ; stipules deci- 

 duous. Flowers solitary or in few-fid. cymes, small white or pink, some- 

 times polygamous. Calyx-tube turbinate or campanulate ; lobes 5, 

 superior, short, persistent. Petals 5. Stamens many, inserted at the 

 mouth of the calyx. Carpels 2-5, adnate wholly or by their backs only 

 to the calyx-tube ; styles 2-5, distinct, stigma truncate ; ovules 2 in each 

 cell, erect. Fruit small, with 2-5 bony 1 -seeded stones. — Distrib. 

 Europe, temp. Asia, 3J. Africa, Mexico; species 15. — Etym. The Latin 

 name. 



C. vulgaris, Lindl. ; leaves broadly elliptic-oblong densely pubescent 



beneath, cymes lateral few-fid. 



Great Orme's Head, on limestone cliffs, very rare; fl. May-June. — A small 

 erect shrub ; branchlets pubescent. Leaves f-1^ in., rounded or acute at the 

 tip ; petiole very short ; stipules scarious. Flowers £ in. diara., pink ; 

 pedicels short, decurved, pubescent ; bracts minute. Calyx turbinate, lobes 

 obtuse, margins woolly. Petals small, persistent. Styles about 3. Fruit 

 5 in. diam., globose, shining, red. — Distrib. Europe, N. and W. Asia, 

 Himalaya. 



Order XXVII. SAXIFRAGES. 



Tribes Saxifrag'e^e proper and Ribesi'e-e. 



Shrubs or herbs. Leaves alternate or opposite ; stipules 0, or adnate to 

 the often dilated petiole. Calyx free or more or less adnate to the ovary, 

 5- rarely 4-lobed, valvate or imbricate in bud. Petals 5, rarely 4 or 0, 

 imbricate in bud. Stamens 5 or 10, rarely 4 or 8, perigynous ; anthers 

 dorsally inserted, connective frequently glandular at the back. Disk 

 various. Carpels 2 or more, usually connate into a 2- rarely a 1 -celled 

 ovary; styles distinct or combined, stigmas capitellate ; ovules many, 2- 

 seriate, placentas attached to the inner angles of the carpels. Fruit a 

 1-3-celled berry or capsule, or of 2 or more follicles, many-seeded. Seeds 

 small, albumen copious fleshy or horny ; embryo minute, terete or clavate. 

 — Distrib. (of the British tribes). N. temp, and Arctic regions ; a few 

 occur on the Andes and in the S. temp, zone ; genera 20 ; species 300. — 

 Affinities. So close to Rosacea: and Crassulaeeos as to be scarcely separ- 

 able ; also allied to Lythraccoz, Rhizophoreaz and Droseraceoz. — Properties 

 unimportant. 



Teibe I. SAXIFRAGES proper. Herbs. Flowers 4-5-merous. Ovary 

 1-3-celled. Petals 5. Stamens 10. Fruit capsular. 



Ovary 2-celled ; styles 2 1. Saxifraga. 



Petals 0. Stamens 8 or 10. Ovary 1-celled ; styles 2... 2. Chrysospleuium. 

 Petals 5. Stamens 5. Ovary 1-celled ; stigmas 3-4 3. Parnassia 



Tribe II. RIBESIEiE. Shrubs. Ovary 1-celled. Fruit a berry. 



4. Kites. 





