488 



OXALIDACEiE. 



[Hypogynous Exogkns. 



Order CLXXXV. OXALIDACEjE.-Oxal.ds. 



SUK3 ^pZ^l il f£LTh p am , £5 uvh. ; 'wm **■• *■ = ** 



Gto. p. 1016 ; JMeiroer, p. 35. 

 Diagnosis -GW«Z *«*«., ^ith symmetrical flowers distinct styles, carpels Umger 

 Diagnosis, wra ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ a 6«na*a»« albumen. 



Herbaceous plants, undershrubs, or trees Leave, simple or ^^^ 

 USU al. y but not always without stipules ^—11 ^opposite -^ ^ L 



PeW 5, hypogynous, equal, unguiculate, wrt ha 

 spirally-twisted activation ; occasionally 0. Stamens 

 10, usually m0 re or less monadelphous, those opposite 

 the petals forming an inner series, and longer than 

 the others ; anthers 2-celled, innate. Ovary with 5 to 

 5 cells ; stvles as many, filiform ; st.gmas capitate or 

 somewhat bifid ; ovules anatropa 1 Fruit capsular, 

 membranous, or drupaceous, with 3-D cells and as 

 Sany or twice as many valves, if it is dehiscent 

 Seeds few, fixed to the axis, some times ini o ed 

 within a fleshy integument which curs back . rf tl e 

 maturity of the fruit, and expels the seeds , witi. 

 elasticity. Albumen between cartilaginous and fleshy 

 Embryo the length of the albumen, with a long radicle 

 nointui" to the hilum, and flat cotyledons 

 1 These plants were' formerly included in the Order 

 of Cranesbills, from which, in the judgment of many, 

 they are not sufficiently distinct. According to De 

 Candolle, they are rather allied to Beancapers , 

 an opinion which their compound leaves appear to 

 confirm. The species are generally described .jntix afl 

 aril ; but, according to Auguste de St. Hilaue the 

 part so called is nothing but the outer integument o 

 Se seed. The genus Hugonia, which has been placed 

 first hi one Oruer, then* another, and even con- 

 sidered the type of an Order apart ironi all others, 

 tfiy differs in its simple leaves and deciduous 

 stipules The true character of Oxahds reside, ... 

 S3? regular flowers, beakless fruit, and aluminous 

 seeds, to which may be added the very general tendency 

 among them to form compound leaves. 



Natives of all the hotter and temperate parts of 

 ! world, most abundantly however in America and to 

 Cape of Good Hope ; more rarely in the East In 

 and equinoctial Africa ; and sparingly in the temperate 

 The shrubby species are confined to the hotter paito ot 



Fig. CCCXXXVI. 



parts of Asia and hi Europe 



substitutes for Sorrel. In the Blunbuig; and Caramboto (Averrl lfi t „ 



O. acetosella. 



