358 rouK-o'cLocK family. 



III. Apetalous Division. 



Includes the families with flowers destitute of corolla, 

 or of both corolla and calyx. Various apetalous genera 

 and species are, however, distributed through the poly- 

 petalous and monopetalous families, where they evidently 

 belong. These three divisions are entirely artificial. 



XCI. NYCTAGINACEiE, FOUR-O'CLOCK FAINIILY. 



Here represented by a few herbs with tubular or funnel- 

 form calyx colored I'.ke a corolla, and falling away from a per- 

 sistent lower portion which closes completely over the 1-celled 

 1-ovuled ovary and seed-like fruit, forming a hard and dry 

 covering which would be mistaken for a true pericarp. Sta- 

 mens 2-5, the long slender filaments hypogenous, but apt to 

 adhere somewhat to the sides of the calyx tube above. Embryo 

 coiled around some mealy albumen. (Lessons, Figs. 52-55.) 

 Ours are herbs, with opposite, simple, entire or wavy leaves, 

 and jointed stems, tumid at the joints. 



» Involucral bracts icholbj distinct. 



1. ABRONIA. Flowers small, many in a peduncled umbel-like head surrounded by an 



involucre of about 5 bracts. Calyx salver-shaped, with a slender tube, and a corolla- 

 like 5-lobed border, which is plaited in the bud, the lobes generally notched at the end. 

 stamens 5 and style included. 



» * Involucral bracts united at the base. 



2. ox YBA PUT'S. Flowers small, a few together surrounded by a .5-lobed involucre, 



which enlarges and becomes thin, membranaceous, reticulated, and wheel-shaped 

 after Howering. Caly.x with a very short tube constricted above the ovary, e.xpand- 

 ing into a bell-shaped .5-lobed corolla-like border, open only for a day. Stamens 

 (mostly 8) and slender style protruding. Fruit (persistent base of caly.\) akene-like, 

 strongly ribbed. 



3. MIKABILIS. Flower large, in the common species only a single one in the cup-shaped 



5-cleft green involucre, which thus exactly imitiites a calyx, as the tubular funnel- 

 shaped or almost salver-shaped delicate calyx does a corolla, b stamens, and especially 

 the style (tipped with a shield-shaped stigma) protruded. Fruit ovoid, smooth and 

 nearly even. 



1. ABRONIA. rOreck : fjraroful.) Western North American herbs, 

 cultivated iur ornament ; flowers all summer. % 



* Floicers rose-purple. 



A. umbellata. Lam. Cal.; prostrate slender stems, ovate-oblong slender 

 petioled leaves, and flowers open by day, the involucre of small bracts. 



