430 NATURAL HISTORY OF PLANTS. 



tative organization of Kerria\ in Eucryphia and in Coleogyne. We 

 usually find stipules, but they are missing in several Spireea, in 

 Nuttallia and Exochorda, and in several Clirysohalanea. But we may 

 still say, speaking generally, and taking care to bear in mind their 

 numerous exceptions, that the Rosacecs may be considered perigynous 

 Manunculacea, with stipulate leaves and exalbuminous seeds. 



The characters which, though valuable, are variable, have served 

 to establish the tribes, of which we give briefly here the most impor- 

 tant features in agreement with the most recent authors. These 

 series are, as we have seen, eight in number. 



I. EosE^gE. — Ovaries inferior or included in the receptacular cavity. 

 Fruits dry, included in a fleshy indusium of receptacular origin. 

 Calycle absent. Ovaries uni- or bi-ovulate. Ovules descending, 

 micropyle exterior. Leaves nearly always pinnate. Stem woody. 



II. Agrimonies. — Fruits dry included in a dry or rarely fleshy 

 indusium. Corolla usually absent. Calycle nearly always absent. 

 Ovaries uniovulate. Ovules descending, micropyle exterior. Stem 

 herbaceous or woody. 



III. Fragaries. — Ovaries free, not included in the cavity of the 

 receptacle. Fruits superior. Ovules solitary or geminate, ascending 

 or descending, micropyle exterior. Stem herbaceous or frutescent. 



IV. Spirees. — Carpels not included, solitary or numerous. Ovules 

 solitary, geminate or numerous. Calycle often absent. 



V. QuiLLAJES. — Carpels not included, usually equal in number to 

 the sepals, free, or united into a many-celled fruit. Ovules geminate 

 or numerous, ascending or descending, micropyle exterior. Calycle 

 absent. Stem woody. 



VI. Pyres. — Carpels wholly or almost wholly lodged in the 

 receptacular cavity, solitary or few in number, at most equal to the 

 sepals. Fruit pomaceous, usually crowned by the remains of the 

 calyx or its scars. Ovaries nearly always uniovulate. Ovules 

 collateral ascending, micropyle exterior and inferior. Stem woody. 



VII. Prunes. — Carpel nearly always solitary, free, not included. 

 Style inserted in the summit of the ovary. Ovules geminate, 

 collateral descending, micropyle superior and exterior. Stem woody. 

 Leaves simple. 



VIII. Chrysobalanes. — Flowers often unsymmetrical. Carpel 



' In cultivation we may pretty often see the leaves become opposite in SpirtBa, Eubus, Rosa, 

 PrunuK, &c. 



