316 Plants and their Ways in South Africa 



Order GERANIACE^E. 



Flowers perfect, regular or zygomorphic, hypogynous. 

 Sepals 5, imbricate, persistent. Petals usually 5, convolute, 

 clawed. Stamens 5 + 5, obdiplostemenous, or fifteen in 

 groups of three, connate at base. When but one whorl of 

 stamens is present, the outer antepetalous whorl forms stamin- 

 odia. Carpels 5, opposite the petals, upon a disk which grows 

 up between them. Stigmas 5 ; placentation axile, ovules 2 



FIG. 290. Monsonia speciosa. Linn./. 



or i in each carpel. The carpels separate when ripe and 

 are indehiscent, forming a schizocarp, e.g. Erodium ; or the 

 segments dehisce and set free the seed, and the fruit is a schizo- 

 carpic capsule, e.g. Geranium. 



Leaves alternate or opposite, stipulate. Herbs or shrubs, 

 often hairy. Roots sometimes large tubers. 



