ST. joHN"s-\voirr family. 81 



XVIII. TAMARISCINEiE, T A:\rARISK FAMILY. 



.Shrubs or small trees of the Old World, represented in orna- 

 mental grounds by 



1. TAMARIX, TxVMARISK. (From the Tamarh, now Tamhrr, 

 a small river of Spain.) Sepals and petals 4 or 5, persistent, or the 

 latter withering, and stamens as many or twice as many, all on tlie 

 receptacle. Ovary pointed, 1-ceIled, bearing many ovules on three 

 parietal i^lacentse next the base ; styles -3. Seeds with a plume of hairs 

 at the apex. Shrubs or small trees of peculiar aspect, with minute and 

 scale-shaped or awl-shaped, alternate leaves, appressed on the slender 

 branches, and small white or purplish flowers in spikes or racemes. 

 The one chiefly seen in this country is 



T. Gallica, Linn. French T. Barely hardy N.. often killed to the 

 ground, a picturesque, delicate shrub, rather Cypre.ss-like in aspect, 

 glaucous-whitish, the minute leaves clasping the branches, nearly ever- 

 green where the climate permits ; parts of the flower in o's ; in spring. 



XIX. HYPERICACEJ], ST. JOHN'S-WORT FAMILY. 



Leaves opposite, entire, simple, chiefly sessile, punctate with 

 translucent and commonly with some blackish dots ; perfect 

 flowers with many or few stamens (usually in 3 or 5 clusters) 

 inserted on the receptacle, and a pod either 1-celled with pari- 

 etal placentye or S-T-celled (Lessons, p. 108, Figs. 335, 336), 

 fllled with many small seeds. Juice resinous and acrid. 



* Xo glands between the stamens. Petals convolute in the bud. 



1. ASCYKTM. Sepals 4; the outer i)air very broad, the inner small and narrow. Petals 



4, yellow. Stamens many. Ovary 1-celled. Leafy-stemmed, woody at base, with 

 2-edg'ed branches. 



2. HYPERICUM. Sejials and petals 5. Stamens many, rarely few, often united in 3-5 



clusters. Herbs or shrubs, with cymose yellow flowers. 

 * » Large gland bettceen each of the 3 sets of stamens. Petals imbricated in the bud. 

 8. ELODES. Sepals erect and flesh-colored. Petals 5. Stamens 9 to 12. united in 8 sets. 



Ovary 3-celled. Flowers in close, axillary clusters. Leaves pale, often purple-veined 



oblong- or ovate, and i.roduced all summer. Petals pale purple or flesh-color, equal- 



.sided, erect. In water or wet bofjs. 



1. ASCYRUM, ST. PETER'S- WORT. (Greek: inVinnt rom/hness.) 

 Wild in piiu' barrens?, etc., chiefly S. Flowers summer. 2i 

 * A pair of brnvtlets on the pedicel ; styles short. 



A. st^s. Michx. Common St. Pkter's-wort. Stems 2°-o° high ; 

 leaves thickish. somewhat clasping, oval or oblong; flowers large, with 

 obovate pctuls and ;] or 4 styles. From Long Island, S. 



A. Crux-Andreae, Linn. St. Andrew's Cross. Low ; stems spread- 

 ing ; leavis thinuish, narrow-obh^ig and tapering to the base; flowers 

 rather small, with linear-oblong, jiale yellow petals ; only 2 styles. From 

 New Jersey to IlUnois, W. 



l.iR\Y"« F. F. i- C. EOT. — 



