252 ORDER XXYII. ZYGOPIIYLLACE^. 



Order XXVL—OXALIDA'CE^. D. C. 



Sepals 5, distinct or slightly cohering at the base, persistent; 

 aestivation imbricate. Petals 5, hypog}mous. unguiculate, equal, 

 with a twisted aestivation. Stamens^ those alternate with the 

 petals shorter. Anthers innate, 2-celled. Ovary composed of 

 5 united carpels, opposite the petals, 5-angled, 5-ceIled, with 5 

 filiform styles. Fruit a 5-celled, 5-valved capsule, 1 — 12- 

 seeded. Seeds anatropous, with a loose fleshy testa, which 

 bursts when the seeds are mature. Emhryo straight, with a 

 long radicle and foliaceous cotyledon. Plants herbaceous, with 

 an acid juice. 



Genus I— OXA'LIS. L. 10— 5. {Wood-sorreJ>i 

 (From ovcalis, acid, from the sourness of the leaves.) 



Sepals o, distinct or slightly cohering at the base. Petals 5. 

 Stamens 10, those opposite the petals longer, monadelphous at 

 the base. Styles 5. Capsule 5-angled. Seeds one or several ; 

 tegmen ribbed, rugose. 



1. O. vwla'cea, (L.) Bidb scaly. Scape umbelliferous, 3 — 7-flo\r- 

 ered. Leaves obcordate, ternate, glabrous, dotted, Floivers large. 

 Sepals lanceolate, obtuse, with an orange-colored 2-cleft gland at the 

 summit. Petals obovate. Stigmas 2-cleft, — Violet-colored, 2^, March 

 — May. Rich soils. Common, 6 — 9 inches, 



2. 0. cornicttla'ta, (L.) Stem decumbent, branched, le«fj, pubes- 

 cent. Leaves glabrous on the upper surface, hairy underneath, ciliatp. 

 Flowers generally two on each peduncle. Sepals pubescent, ereef, cili- 

 ate. Petals emarginate, — Yellow. If, Feb. — May. Low country. 



3. 0. stric'ta, (L.) Stem erect, leafy, branching, hairy. Flowers in 

 small umbels. Peduncles 2 — 6-flowerpd. Petals obovate, eene-allv 

 entire. Leaves alternate near the ba«e of the stem, it vericillnte clus- 

 ters towards the summit ; leaflets obcordate. Stifles not half as long 

 as the shortest stamens, recurved. — Yellow. @. April — May. Common. 



Order XXVIL— ZYGOPHYLLA'CE^/E. R. Br. 



Sepals 5, persistent. Petals 5, obovate ; sestivation convolute. 

 Stamens 10, hypog}mous, the 5 opposite the petals somewhat 

 abortive. Ovary of 5 carpels, apparently 10-celled, with an 

 ovule in each cell. Style conical, furrowed. Stigma capitate, 

 ribbed. Fruit a regma, with 5 or 10 indehiscent cocci. Seeds 

 anatropous. Emhryo green, with foliaceous cotyledons. Her- 

 baceous plants, with opposite stipulate leaves. 



