CHAPTER XXXI. 



DICOTYLEDONS CONTINUED. 



THE Linacese or Flax Family is composed of herbs, shrubs, 

 and a few trees, but is represented in this country by the one genus 

 of which the common flax is the only plant of economic value. 

 The flowers are regular, opening for only one day, and the decid- 

 uous petals are especially delicate in texture and color. This 

 plant rivals cotton in importance as a fiber producing plant. It 

 grows best on the borders of the tropical regions, having a much 

 wider range than cotton. The linen fiber consists of bast cells 

 from the stem of the plant, and has been used from the earliest 

 times. The oldest mummies of Egypt are wrapped in linen and 

 its remains are found in the ruins of the Lake Dwellers of Swit- 

 zerland and Italy. 



The Rue Family includes the prickly ash, the hop-tree, the 

 orange, lemon, citron and lime trees. The chief characteristic of 

 the family is the transparent dots or glands in the leaves which 

 contain a pungent aromatic oil. In some cases the juices are very 

 bitter and in some cases acrid enough to blister the skin. The 

 orange, lemon and citron are the most important members of 

 the family. 



TheAcerinese or Maple Family is made up of shrubs and trees 

 that are prized for their beauty and for their timber, and the sap 

 yields a sugar of a fine flavor. The flowers are sometimes per- 

 fect, sometimes dioecious; sometimes with petals, sometimes with- 

 out. They appear in early spring, with or before the leaves, in 

 drooping, umbel-like clusters. The fruit is a pair of samaras, or 

 winged fruits, united at the base. The leaves are palm ate- veined 

 and palmately lobed or parted, and sometimes serrate. There 

 are several varieties, as the sugar maple or hard maple, the soft 

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