38 



A SYNOPSIS OF TUK PLANT KINGDOM 



',)-. Nepenthaceas ifnmi tlic genus \cpcntkcs, dc- 

 T\\K\{ fn>in the <.!n><'k siiJiiifving a iiiatjic puliim, prob- 

 ably in tvferpnoo to Ihe'pitolicrs). NErKNTHKs Family. 

 V\g. 2o. Slightly w(H)dy or horbaocoiis plants: leaves 

 alternate, consisting of a winseil biusal portioi\, a slender 

 stalk-liko intermediate portion, and a terminal urii- 

 sha^Mxl piteher with a rolling lluted border and a lid, 

 the piteher eontaininu a watery fluid: llowers diocious, 

 panieulato, regular; perianth of 4 parts, possibly 12 

 sepals and 2 petals, imbricated; stamens 4- l(i, niona- 

 delphous; ovary superior, 15-4-celled; ovules mnuerous 

 in each cell: stigma sessile, discoid: fruit a capsule. 



A single genus with about 40 species occurs in the 

 East Indies, Madagascar, the Seychellc Islands, and 

 New Caledonia. Borneo hjus the greatest number of 

 species. The family is related to the Sarraceniacea' and 

 Droserace;v. although formerly considered related to 

 the Aristolochiaceir. The habit, the undifTcrentiated 

 perianth, the monadelphous stamens, and the3- t-celU^d 

 ovary, arc distinctive. .V remarkable family of insectiv- 

 orous plants, .\long with the water secreted in the 

 ca\ity of the pitcher is a pejisin-like substance, by the 

 aid of which insects are digested, the dissolved material 

 being later absorbed. The slender part of the leaf 

 in some species coils and serves as a tendril by means 

 of which the plant climbs. 





26. Cba88CLace.e: 1. Sedum, flower. SaxifragacEjE; 2. 

 Suxifruga, flower. 3. HJbes, a, floral diagram; b, flower. 4. Par- 

 naA'*ia, a, floral diagram; i», flower. Cephalotacea:: 5. Cephalo- 

 lui», leaves. 



In American greenhouses, many kinds of Nepenthes 

 (Piteher Plants), some of hybrid origin, are cultivated 

 because of their curious habit. 



93. Droseraceae ffroin the genus Drosern, derived 

 from the (ireek, njeiming dcwij). Sundkw Family. Fig. 

 25. Very glandular herbs or sub-shrubs with alternate 

 leaves: flowers bLsexual, regular, hypogynous, rarely 

 perigvnous; sepals 4-.5, imbricated; petals .5, imbri- 

 cated; stamens in 1 or more whorLs of 5; carpels 2-5; 

 ovar)' superior, l-.3-celled: fruit a capsule with nu- 

 merous seeds. 



The 6 genera and about 100 species, 90 species of 

 which belong to the genus Drosera, are widely scat- 

 tered over the earth. The family is related in floral 

 Btnicture to the Cistaceae and Violacea;, and to the 

 Saxifragacese. 



The Droseracea; are noted as insectivorous plants. 

 Drosera has a ros<;ttc of small basal leaves covered 

 with sensitive motile tentafiles that secrete a terminal 

 drop of clear .sticky fluid, the so-called dew, in which 

 small insects are caught as on sticky fly-jiaper. A 

 digf«tive substance is then secreted and the organic 

 rnatter absorbed. The leav(» of Dionaja (the famous 

 Wnu.s' fly-trap of Carolina) have a conduplicatc ter- 



minal lobe which closes violently when a fly alights upon 

 the upper (inner) surface. A marginal fringe prevents 

 the escape of the insect; and it is in time dig(st('d. 

 Aldrovanda of South Europe has tiny traps similar 

 to tlio.se of Dioniea, but the whole plant is aquatic, and 

 resembles Utrieuliiria. 



Drosophyllum and Roridula are said to be used in 

 Portugal ;ind the Cape for the jiractical capture; of 

 Hies in I lie house. The leaves of .some Drosera« yield 

 a ])urple dye. The li()uids known iis aqua-auri :ind 

 ro.s<)glii) (It;di;in) contiiin Droxera rnlimdifolui ;is an 

 essenlial ingredient. 



Drosera and Dionaja are in the American trade, 

 mostly grown as greenhouse curiosities. 



Order 37. Rosales 



94. Crassulaceae (from the genus Crassula, diminu- 

 tive of criiK.sii.s, nieiuiing thick). Orpine Family. Fig. 

 2(i. Herbs or sub-shrubs: leaves mostly alternate, com- 

 monly fleshy; flowers mostly bisexual, regular; sepals 

 5, rarely 3-30, imbricated ; petals as many, rarely con- 

 nate; stamens as many or twice as many as the petals, 

 epipetalous or hypogynous, rarelj' jjerigynous, separate; 

 carpels as many as the petals, separate with a scale 

 at the base of each; ovules nimierous, rarely few or 

 one: fruit a group of follicles, rarely the carpels some- 

 what united and ovary half-inferior. 



Thirteen genera and about 500 species inhabit the 

 drier parts of the earth, but principally South 

 Africa and South Europe. The genus Sedum contains 

 140 species, and Crivssula 120 species. This is a very 

 definite family, but closely related to the Saxifragacese, 

 from which it differs in the regular numerical plan, 

 almost constantly separate ovaries, and predominat- 

 ingly fleshy habit. 



The Crassulacea; arc weU adapted to a dry climate. 

 The fleshy leaves are provided with water-storage 

 tissue and a thick cuticle, and are often odd in shape 

 and appearance. These leaves lose water very slowly 

 when separated from the plant, and will often remain 

 fresh for weeks. \\'hen pinned to the wall, the leaf of 

 Bryophyllum sends forth plantlets from the margin, 

 and the stem of live-forever may grow and flower, so 

 efficient is the protection against loss of water afforded 

 by the cuticle. These plants, likewise, will grow for 

 weeks or months in the collector's press. 



The herbage contains much tannin and .sometimes 

 acid. A refreshing drink has been made from Semper- 

 vivum tectorum. (houseleek). The fleshy leaves of the 

 Crassulacea; are cooling to wounds and burns. Sedum 

 Tdcphium. was formerly cultivated as a pot-herb. 

 Other species have been used for nearly similar pur- 

 poses. 



Several genera are in cultivation in America. Of 

 these, Sempervivum is the well-known Houseleek or 

 Old-hen-antl-cliickens; Cotyledon is somewhat similar 

 in growth; Scdii.m acre, is Moss Stonccrop; and Sedum 

 idplnjllum (S. Tdephium) is Live-forever, or Orpine. 



95. Cephalotaceae (from the genus Celphalotus, derived 

 from the Greek meaning headed, said to refer to the 

 capitate hairs at the base of the flower). Cephalotus 

 F'a.mily'. Fig. 20. Perennial scapose herbs: leaves of 2 

 kinds in a basal rosette, one lanceolate and ordinary, 

 the other a petioled pitcher with winged sides, fluted 

 mouth and a lid: flowers bisexual, regular, perigynous; 

 perianth of jiarts, apparently in one series, valvate; 

 stamens 12, in 2 whorls; carpels 0, separate, arranged 

 around the woody apex of the axis; 1-2 basal ovules in 

 each: fruit dry, .somewhat inflated. 



The family consists of but 1 genus and 1 species 

 (C'eph'dolus fuUiculnris), found in the swamps of King 

 (lieorge's Sound, West Ausiralia. This family is related 

 to the Saxifragacea', and was formerly united with that 

 family, but (lifTers in the peculi.ar habit, the wholly 

 separate carpels arninged arouml the apex of the axis, 



