CRUCIFER^ 287 



simple or digitately compound leaves. Stipules may 

 be present or developed as thorns or absent altogether. 



The flowers are alike in having four sepals, four 

 petals, numerous stamens and a one-celled ovary, 

 which except in some species of CLEOME is raised up 

 on a long stalk. The seeds are arranged on two 

 parietal placentas, showing that the ovary is to be 

 considered as made up of two carpels. There is no 

 style, the stigmas being sessile, or practically so. 



This family is divided into two groups, those which 

 like CLEOME have a dry capsular fruit, and those 

 which like CAPPARIS have a fleshy fruit, a berry. 



* CRUCIFER^E 



AKIN to the CAPPARIDE^E is the CRUCIFER^E, a large 

 and important family in the cooler parts of the world 

 (where the CAPPARIDE^E do not occur). To it belong 

 such well-known and useful plants as the Mustard, 

 Turnip, Radish, Rape, Kohl Rabi, Broccoli and Cauli- 

 flower (the part which is eaten at European tables 

 is the enormously exaggerated branched and fleshy 

 inflorescence, before the flowers are fully formed) 

 all of which are varieties of the genus BRASSICA ; the 

 Radish (RAPHANUS), and "Watercress (NASTURTIUM), 

 as well as some of the common garden flowers of hill 

 stations, * Candytuft (IBERIS), * Stock (MATHIOLA) and 

 * Wallflower (CHEIRANTHUS). 



The family resembles the CAPPARIDE^E in the petals 

 being always four, but differs from them in that the 

 stamens are six only, the ovary has no stalk, and there 

 is a partition joining the two placentas. 



