THALAMIFLOE^l. 213 



Affinities, &c. This Order is closely related to the Cruciferse, both in 

 structure and properties, being distinguished chiefly by the stamens, 

 which are mostly indefinite, or which, when only six in number, are very 

 rarely tetradynamous, and by the stipitate ovary. The parietal placentas 

 and the disk ally them to the Resedacese, which likewise have kidney- 

 shaped aperispermic seeds ; there is a more distant affinity to the Bixacese, 

 which have perispermic seeds. The development of the internodes between 

 the circles of floral organs is a striking character in various Cappari- 

 daceae : in Cleome and Capparis the thalamus has rather a discoid deve- 

 lopment below the stamens, the ovary being stalked ; in Gynandropsis and 

 Cadaba there is a stalk-like prolongation of the thalamus between the 

 corolla and stamens and between the stamens and the ovary. This struc- 

 ture connects the plants in some degree with Passifloraceae. In some 

 species of Mcerua, moreover, there is a " corona " like that of Passion- 

 flowers. In other genera the receptacle is developed into a more or less 

 fleshy or glandular disk. In Physostemon the stamens are curious, the two 

 or four posterior ones having the filaments inflated or swollen below the 

 anthers. Eichler describes the development of the andrcecium as show- 

 ing that there are two whorls of stamens, each primarily consisting of 

 two, first two lateral, then two antero-posterior tubercles, which subse- 

 quently subdivide into numerous filaments. 



Distribution. The species are somewhat numerous in the tropical 

 subtropical regions of the world, especially in Africa. 



Qualities and Uses. There is great agreement with the Cruciferae ; 

 but in some cases the pungent principles are dangerous. The Capers used 

 as pickles are the flower-buds of various species of Capparis (C. spinosa, 

 Fontanesi, rupestris, and ceyyptiaca). The root of Crateeva yynandra, the 

 Garlic Pear, is said to be very acrid and to blister like Cantharides. C. 

 excelsa is a large tree in Madagascar. The Polanisia icosandra of the 

 United States is used as a vermifuge j and the root of Cadaba indica is 

 said to be aperient and anthelmintic. Many species have been introduced 

 into our gardens : a few bear the open air in sheltered places. 



RESEDACE^E are herbs or undershrubs with unsymmetrical 4-8- 

 merous small flowers, commonly with a fleshy one-sided hypogynous disk 

 between the petals and the (3-40) stamens, which it supports. Pistil poly- 

 carpellary and 1-celled, or of several more or less distinct carpels. Pod 

 3- or _6-lobed, 3- or 6-horned, 1-celled with 3 or 6 parietal placentas, 

 sometimes opening at the top before the aperispermic reniform seeds 

 are ripe. Embryo curved. Illustrative Genera : Reseda, Oliyomeris. 



Affinities, &c. These plants agree in many respects with the Cappari- 

 dacese, as in the presence of a disk supporting the stamens and the reni- 

 form seeds. By Miiller they are placed between Capparids and Crucifers. 

 There is a more distant relation to the Papaveraceae, from which, however, 

 they are always distinguished by their aperispermic seeds. Moringaceae 

 have many points in common, but differ in habit, foliage, straight embryo, 

 and monadelphous stamens. The one-sided disk is an outgrowth from the 

 thalamus. The petals of the Mignonette have a broad claw and a deeply 

 divided or fringed limb. The pollen-grains are ellipsoid. The opening of 

 the ovary before the seeds are ripe is worthy of note as an uncommon 

 phenomenon ; it is well seen in the Garden Mignonette (Reseda odorata}. 



