208 SYSTEMATIC BOTANY. 



Character. 



Thalamus small. Calyx : sepals 2. caducous. Corolla : petals 4, 

 irregular, in 2 circles. Stamens hypogynous, rarely 4 and di- 

 stinct, opposite to the petals, or 6, diadelphous, the parcels 

 opposite to the outer petals, each with a central 2-celled anther 

 and 2 lateral 1-celled anthers. Ovary free, 1-celled ; style filiform ; 

 stigma with 2 or more points ; ovules horizontal, amphitropous. 

 Fruit : an indehiscent 1- or 2-seeded nut, or a dry 2-valved or 

 succulent indehiscent many-seeded pod ; seeds shining, mostly 

 arillate; embryo minute, abaxial, straight or curved, in fleshy 

 perisperm. Illustrative Grenera : Dicentra, Borkh. ; Fumaria, 

 Tournef. ; Hypecouin, Tournef . 



Affinities, &c. The close relationship to Papaveraceae has been pointed 

 out. Bentham and Hooker indeed include Fumitories under that family. 

 Hypecoum, with its four distinct stamens, diverges from the ordinary type 

 immediately towards that Order. The number, form, and arrangement 

 of the floral envelopes mark an affinity to the Berberidaceae, which like- 

 wise have stamens opposite to the petals. A further relationship exists 

 in the direction of Cruciferae, concerning which, however, authors are at 

 variance, on account of the curious condition of the diadelphous stamens 

 here. The view taken of the morphology of these flowers by Payer, 

 Eichler, Camel, and others is that there are two sepals formed succes- 

 sively, two outer petals formed simultaneously, two inner petals also formed 

 simultaneously, two outer staminal tubercles, each of which becomes three- 



lobed; a second staminal whorl is abortive S2 P2 + 2 A2-J-2G2. 

 The trilobation of the petals of Hypecown is analogous with that of the 

 stamens. [In Dielytra I find in the course of development two sepals, 

 four petals in two rows, two u compound stamens " (of which the central 

 lobe is largest and bears a two-celled anther, while the lateral ones have 

 but a single anther-lobe), and two carpels. M. T. M.] The mode in 

 which the horned stigmas push themselves against the extrorse anthers in 

 the blossom of Fumaria, while the petals cohere by their tips, is worthy of 

 examination, as also are the modifications of the staminal bundles in 

 Fbmarutf Dicentra, &c. The long pod of Hypecoum has transverse spurious 

 septa between the seeds. The pollen of Fumaria is polyhedric. 



Distribution. The species are not very numerous, and are mostly found 

 in the temperate parts of the Northern Hemisphere. 



Qualities and Uses. Mild bitter, sometimes rather acrid, and with 

 slight diaphoretic and aperient properties, but of little importance in this 

 respect. The genus fumaria has a number of rather doubtful species in 

 this country ; Corydalis claviculata is not very rare in woody places, and 

 several tuberous-rooted species of Corydalis are found as hardy herbaceous 

 plants in our gardens. Dicentra (Dielytra) spectabilis, a handsome Chinese 

 species, is now greatly cultivated as an early-flowering greenhouse plant, 

 but it is hardy in some situations. 



