ROSE FAMILY. 141 



XXXVII. ROSACEiE, KOSE FAMILY. 



Trees, shrubs, or herbs with alternate stipulate leaves and 

 regular flowers, with usually indetinite unconnected stamens 

 inserted on the calyx, one, few, or many simple separate pistils 

 (except in the division to which the Fear belongs), and single, 

 few, or occasionally numerous seeds ; these filled with a 

 straight fMnbrvo. Calyx usually of 5 sepals, but sometimes 

 reinforced by a row of sepal-like bracts beneath. Petals as 

 many as the sepals, or sometimes wanting. Destitute of 

 noxious qualities (excepting the bark, leaves, and kernels of 

 some Cherries, the Almond, etc.), and furnishing the most 

 important fruits of temperate climates, as well as the queen of 

 flowers. We have three principal great divisions. 



I. ALMOXD or PLUM SUBFAMILY ; consists of trees 

 or shrubs, with simple leaves, stipules free from the petiole 

 (often minute or early deciduous, so that there may appear to 

 be none), a calyx which is deciduous after flowering, ftnd a 

 single pistil, its ovary superior and tip[)ed with a slender style 

 (Lessons, p. 95, Fig. 271), containing a pair of ovules, and 

 becoming a simple drupe or stone-fruit. (Lessons, p. 120, 

 Fig. 3750 



1. PRCNrS. ralyx with al.eU-shapodoriini-shapod tube and 5 spreading lobes. Petals 



5, and stamens 8-.t times as many, or indefinitely numerous, inserted on the throat 

 of the calyx. Flowers white or rose-color. 



II. ROSE SUBFAMILY proper: consists of herbs or 

 shrubs, with stipules either free from or united with the base 

 of the petiole, calyx persisting below or around the fruit, 

 which is composed of sometimes one, bvit commonly several or 

 many distinct pistils. 



§ 1 . Calyx not a fleshii tube or cup, nor closed oi'er the fruit. 



* Ovaries about 5 (2-12), becoming litllepods, mostt}/ sereral-il-U)-) needed ; calyx with 



only 5 or rarely 4 lobes. 



2. SPIR.^A. Shrubs or perennial herbs, with stipules sometimes minute or obsolete, 



sometimes conspicuous, pnd white or rose-purple, sometimes dioecious flowers. 

 Caly.\ open and short, mostly 5-cleft, not inclosing the pods. Petals equal, com- 

 monly broad. St.nmens 10-50. Pods not inflated, 1-valved. Seeds linear. 



3. PHYS0C.\KPUS. Shrubs, differing from Spiraea by inflated 2-valveU pods, aud round- 



ish seeds. 



4. EXOCHORDA. Shrubs with large white flowers, 5 bony 2-valved cariicls Joined to a 



common axis, each with one large flat winged seed. 



