ORDER H. MAGNOLIACE^E. ORDER VIII. NYMPIKEACEJ2. 



107 



A large order of plants, distinguished by their 

 acrid, and usually poisonous juice. They generally 

 grow In wet or damp situations. This order In- 

 cludes a great many ornamental cultivated plants. 

 The Kanunculus (Butter-cup), fig. 1, the Clematis 

 (Virgin's-boicer), and Anemone, are examples. 

 The Delphinium (Lark- spur ), and Aconitum 

 (SfonK's-hood), are distinguished by very irregular 

 flowers. 



ORDER II. Magnoliacese. 



Trees or shrubs. Leaves alternate, sin- 

 gle, entire, or lobed ; never serrate, coria- 

 cious; usually punctate with transparent 

 dots. Stipules membranaceous, caducous, 

 enveloping the bud. Flowers solitary, 

 large and showy, usually fragrant Sepals 

 3 6, deciduous, colored. Petals 3, or 

 more; often in several rows. Stamens indefinite, hypogynous, 

 distinct. Filaments short Anthers adnate. Ovaries numerous, 

 arranged in several rows on the elongated receptacle, forming a 

 kind of cone. Seeds 1 2 in each carpel, from which, when ma- 

 ture, they are often suspended by a slender funiculus. Embryo 

 minute, at the base of the fleshy albumen. 



A noble order, consisting chiefly of large trees, native mostly at the South 

 and West The bark often contains an intensely bitter principle, which is tonic 

 and stimulant. Examples are the Magnolias and the Liriodendron, or Tulip- 

 tree, fig. 2. 



Fig. 2. 



ORDER III. Anonacese. 



Trees, or shrubs. Leaves alternate, entire. Stipules none. 

 Sepals 3. Petals 6, in two series, of a dull color. Stamens inde- 

 finite, hypogynous, with short filaments and extrorse anthers. 

 Ovaries usually numerous, closely packed together, some times co- 

 hering in a pulpy mass. Style short, or none. Stigmas simple. 

 Carpels 1 -seeded. Seeds anatropous. 



A chiefly tropical order, represented in the United States by several species 

 of Asimina (Papaw), and the delicious Custard-apples of the East and West 

 Indies, also belong here. 



ORDER IV. Menispermacese. 



Climbing, or twining, usually more or less shrubby plants. 

 Leaves alternate, entire. Stipules none. Flowers small, arranged 

 in panicles, or racemes, usually dioecious, but never perfect. 

 Sepals 4 12 in 1 3 rows ; deciduous. Petals 18 ; usually as 

 many as the sepals; hypogynous, rarely wanting, or united. 

 Stamens opposite the petals, and equalling them in number, or 

 else 24 times as many. Anthers often 4-celled. Ovaries 



Fig. 1. 



usually several, when in flower, but in fruit mostly reduced to 1 

 or 2. Fruit, a berry, or drupe. Embryo large, curved, in- 

 cluded in the fleshy albumen. 



A small order, mostly tropical. The roots usually possess bitter and tonic 

 properties. The Menispermum (Hfoonseed), one species of which yields Co- 

 lumbo, and the Anamirta Cocculus, the Cocculus Jndicus of the shops, whose 

 narcotic fruit is extensively used in adulterating malt liquors, are good ex- 

 amples. 



ORDER V. Berberidaceae. 



Herbs, or shrubs. Leaves alternate, simple, or compound, 

 mostly exstipulate. Flowers perfect Sepals 3 6, arranged in 

 1 or 2 rows. Petals as many as the sepals, and opposite them ; 

 or else twice as many. Stamens definite, as many as the petals, 

 and opposite them ; or else twice as many. Anthers extrorse, 

 usually opening by recurved valves, as in fig. 5, Plate XXV. 

 Ovary consisting of a single carpel, forming in fruit a 1-celled 

 berry, or capsule. Seeds few ; rarely many. 



The Berberis (Barberry), and Podophyllurn (May-apple), are familiar CT- 



GROUP H. 



ORDER VI. Cabombaceee. 



Aquatic herbs. Leaves floating, entire, centrally peltate. 

 Flowers small, solitary. Sepals 34, colored inside, persistent. 

 Petals 34, alternate with them, persistent Stamens hypogy- 

 nous, 6 36. Anthers innate. Carpels 2 18, indehiscent Seeds 

 pendulous, globular. 



A very small aquatic order, a good example of which is seen in the Brase- 

 nia, or Water-shield. 



ORDER VII. Nelumbiaceae. 



Aquatic herbs, with a somewhat milky juice. Leaves radical, 

 very large, orbicular, peltate. Flowers large, solitary, on long 

 scapes. Sepals 4 5, deciduous. Petals numerous, in many 

 rows, arising from the base of the ob-conical disk. Stamens in- 

 definite, in several rows, with petaloid filaments, and adnate 

 anthers. Carpels several, separately immersed in hollows of the 

 large, flat-topped torus. Seeds destitute of albumen. Embryo 

 very large, with a highly developed plumule. 



A very showy order, consisting of the genus Nelumblum, the two species 

 of which are native, one of Asia, and the other of the United States. 



ORDER VIII. Nymphoeacese. 



Aquatic herbs. Leaves peltate, or cordate, arising from a 

 creeping rhizoma. Flowers large, showy, often fragrant Sepals 

 and petals several, or numerous, imbricated in several rows, and 

 passing into each other, persistent; the latter inserted in the 

 fleshy disk, which surrounds the ovary. Stamens numerous, in 

 several rows, with adnate and introrse anthers, and many of the 

 filaments petaloid. Ovary many-celled, many-seeded, crowned 

 by the radiate stigma, indehiscent Seeds attached to the 

 spongy placentae, anatropous. 



The beautiful and fragrant Nymphoea ( White Pond-Lily), the not less curi- 

 ous Nuphar (Yellow Pond-Lily), the celebrated Lotus of Egypt, flg. 4, Plate 

 XXIX., and the splendid Victoria of South America, flg. 9, are fine examples. 



