138 



OEDEE XII. CEUCIFEEjE TUKNTP-FAMILY. 



1. A. saxatile. Rock Alyssum, 



Stein suffruticose at base ; leaves lanceolate, entire, downy ; flowers numer- 

 ous, in dense, corymbose clusters ; silicle ovate-orbicular, 2-seeded ; seeds with 

 margins. An early-flowering perennial, in gardens. April May. 



2. A. maritimum. Sweet Alyssum. 



Stem suflruticose, and procumbent at base ; leaves linear-lanceolate, some- 

 what hoary; flowers small, white, fragrant; pods oval, smooth. Gardens. 

 June Oct. 



6. LUNlEIA. 



Sepals somewhat bi-saccate at base. Petals nearly entire. 

 Silicles pedicellate, elliptical, or lanceolate. Valves flat. 



1. L. rediviva. Satin-flower. 



Pubescent ; stem erect, branching ; leaves ovate, cordate, petiolate, mucro- 

 nately serrate ; flowers light purple ; silicles lanceolate, narrowed at each end. 

 A garden plant, 2 3 feet high. June. Per. 



2. L. biennis. Honesty. 



Pubescent; stem erect; leaves cordate, with obtuse teeth; flowers lilac- 

 colored; silicles oval, obtuse at both ends. A garden plant, 3 4 feet high. 

 May June. Biennial. 



7. IBEEIS. 



The 2 outside petals larger than the 2 inner. Silicles com- 

 pressed, emarginate ; cells 1 -seeded. An. 



1. I. umbellata. Purple Candy-tuft. 



Stem herbaceous, smooth ; leaves linear-lanceolate, acuminate; lower ones 

 serrate; upper ones entire ; flowers purple, terminal, in simple umbels ; silicles 

 nmbellate, acutely 2-lobed. A common plant in gardens, growing 1 foot high. 

 June July. 



2. I. amara. White Candy-tuft. 



Stem smooth, herbaceous ; leaves lanceolate, acute, somewhat dentate ; 

 flowers white, corymbed, becoming racemose; silicles obcordatc, narrowly 

 emarginate. Equally common with the last. 1 foot high. June July. 



8. BAEBAEEA. 



Sepals nearly equal at base. Silique 4-sided ; valves concave, 

 carinate. Seeds in a single series. 



1. B. vulgaris. 



Winter Cress. 



Stem smooth, furrowed, branching above; lower leaves lyrate ; the terminal 

 lobe roundish; upper ones obovate, pinnatifld at base, crenate, or repandly 

 dentate ; flowers small, yellow, in terminal racemes, pedicellate ; siliques ob- 

 tusely 4-angled, slender, curved upward. Brook-sides and damp fields. Plant 

 1 2 feet high, dark green. May June. 



9. AEABIS. 



Sepals erect. Petals entire, with claws. Silique linear, com- 

 pressed, valves 1-nerved in the middle. Seeds in a single row in 

 each cell. 



1. A. Canadensis. 



Sickle-pod. 



Stem slender, simple, smooth, sometimes pubescent below ; leaves oblong- 

 lanceolate, narrowed at each end, with few teeth, or entire, generally pubescent, 

 sessile ; lower ones narrowed to a petiole, sometimes withering early ; flowers 

 small, white, racemose ; siliqne falcate, pendulous, tipped with the style. Dis- 

 tinguished by the long, pendent pod, which, though nearly straight at first, 

 afterwards assumes the form of a cutlass blade. Kocky woods. June. Per. 



10. CABDAMINE. 



Calyx somewhat spreading. Silique linear. Valves flat, 

 veinless, generally opening elastically. Seeds ovate, without 

 margins, and with slender stalks. Mostly Per. 



1. C. hirsuta. Bitter Cress. 



Stem erect, branching, mostly smooth ; leaves pinnate or lyrately pinnatifid ; 

 leaflets of the lower ones oval, of the upper, narrowly oblong, the terminal 

 longest, 3-lobed ; flowers small, white, racemose ; silique long, slender, erect, 

 tipped with a short style. A variable, dark-green plant, common in wet grounds. 

 June. 



2. C. rotundifolia. American Water-cress. 



Stem erect, simple, smooth ; lower leaves ovate, or almost orbicular, with a 

 few large, repand teeth, on long petiolos : upper ones varying from spatulate to 



lanceolate, entire, or with a few repand teeth, ptiolate, or sessile ; flowers 

 mostly large, white, in a terminal raceme; siliques long, slender, spreading. 

 An elegant but very variable species, in meadows, 6' 12' high. April May. 

 A beautiful and strongly-marked variety has the stem erect, simple, hairy ; 

 leaves petiolate, somewhat fleshy; the radical ones roundish, cordate, or reni- 

 form ; cauline ones strongly repand-toothed ; flowers large, deep rose-color, or 

 purple. In shady, damp places. "W. New York. 



11. DENTAEIA. 



Sepals converging. Silique lanceolate ; valves flat, nerveless, 

 opening elastically; placentae not winged. Seeds in a single 

 row, without margins. 



1. D. laciniata. 



Tooth-wort. 



Ehizoma moniliform ; stem simple, smooth, with S verticillate leaves ; leaves 

 3-parted ; lobes varying from lanceolate to linear, incisely toothed, often cut 

 so deep as to appear almost digitate ; teeth mucronate ; flowers large, purplish- 

 white, in terminal racemes ; petals obovate-oblong. A pretty plant, from 6' 12* 

 high in woods. Most common from N. E. westward. April May. 



2. D. diphylla. 



Pepper-root. 



Ehizoma elongated, toothed, with a pungent, aromatic flavor; stem erect, 

 smooth, with 2 opposite ternate leaves about half way up on the stem ; leaflets 

 ovate, serrate, acute, smooth, petiolate; flowers large, white, or very pale pur- 

 ple, in a terminal raceme. Not common in 8. E. New England; woods and 

 meadows. May. 



12. HESPEBIS. 



Calyx closed, furrowed at base. Petals linear or obovate, 

 bent obliquely. Silique nearly round ; or 4-sided and somewhat 

 compressed. Stigmas 2, erect, eonnivent. Seeds somewhat 3- 

 sided, without margins. 



1. H. matronalis. Rocket. 



Stem simple, erect; leaves ovate-lanceolate, denticulate, acute, on short, 

 margined petioles, slightly scabrous as well as the stem with scattered, bristly 

 hairs ; flowers large, purple, racemed ; siliques erect, 2' 4' long, smooth. A 

 garden perennial, growing 3 4 feet high. May July. 



13. SISYMBEIUM. 



Sepals equal at base. Petals with claws, entire. Silique 

 somewhat terete ; valves concave. Style very short Seeds 

 ovate. An. 



1. S. officinale. 



Hedge Mustard. 



Stem erect, more or less pubescent, very branching; branches spreading; 

 leaves runcinate, hairy; the segments mostly at right angles to the mid-vein ; 

 flowers in slender, virgate racemes, very small, yellow ; siliques sessile, erect 

 pressed closely to the common peduncle. A common weed in cultivated fields 

 and waste places, growing 1 3 feet high. June September. 



14. CHEIEANTHUS. 



Inner sepals gibbous at base. Silique round or compressed. 

 Stigma 2-lobed or capitate. Seeds flat, ovate, in a single series. 



1. C. Cheiri. 



Wall-flower. 



Stem somewhat suffruticose and decumbent at base, with angular branches ; 

 leaves lanceolate, entire or slightly toothed, acute, smooth ; flowers orange 01 

 yellow, large, in corymbose clusters ; petals obovate ; siliques erect, acuminate. 

 A common garden plant possessing a pleasant fragrance. June. 



15. SINAPIS. 



Calyx spreading. Silique nearly round, with veined valves. 

 Style short, acute. Seeds sub-globose, in a single series. An. 



1. S. nigra. 



Mustard. 



Stem erect, smooth, striate, branching, round ; lower leaves lyrate ; upper 

 linear-lanceolate, entire, smooth; flowers yellow, ' in diameter, racemose; 

 sepals pale yellow ; siliques smooth, somewhat 4-sided, appressed, nearly 1' long ; 

 seeds small, globose, nearly black. Cultivated grounds and waste places, grow- 

 ing 36 feet high. June July. 



16. MATTHtOLA. 



Calyx closed. Sepals bi-saccate at base. Silique terete. 

 Stigmas eonnivent, thickened or carinate on the back. 



