300 



SYSTEMATIC BOTANY. 



rarely composed of separate petals, or absent. Stamens equal in 

 number to the petals or lobes of the corolla and adherent to 

 them ; or in apetalous flowers hypogynous and alternating with 

 the teeth of the calyx. Ovary 1-celled, with a free central pla- 

 centa bearing many ovules ; style single ; stigma capitate. Fruit : 

 a capsule opening by valves, more rarely circumscissile (fig. 406), 

 many-seeded ; seeds peltate ; the embryo in fleshy perisperm. 



Fig. 407. 



Fig. 406. 



Capsule of Anagallis opening by 

 circumscissile dehiscence. 



a 6 



Polyanthus : a, stamens exserted, style 

 included; 5. style exserted, stamens 

 included. (Seen in section.) 



ILLUSTRATIVE GENERA. 



Tribe 1. PRIMULE^EJ. Ovary free ; capsule valvular; hilum ventral. 

 Primula, L. 



Tribe 2. ANAGALLTDEJE. Ovary free ; capsule opening transversely ; 

 hilum ventral. Anagallis, Tournefort. 



Tribe 3. HOTTONIE^E. Ovary free ; capsule valvular ; hilum basilar. 

 Aquatics. Hottonia. 



Tribe 4. SAMOLEJE. Ovary semi-inferior; capsule valvular; hilum 

 basilar. Samolus, L. 



Affinities, &c. This is an Order which strongly attracts the attention of 

 Structural Botanists on account of the peculiarities and anomalies which 

 it presents. It is one of those in which the free central placenta is most 

 distinctly seen, forming an exception to the very general rule of the 

 placentas arising from the margins of the carpels. It seems to be truly 

 axial in most cases, but in some monstrosities an appearance is presented 

 as though the placentiferous lines were detached from the edges and 

 surfaces of the carpels and reunited into a central column. Tn the next 

 place the position of its stamens opposite or superposed to the petals is 

 an exception to the rule of alternation of the organs of successive floral 

 whorls, explained by supposing an intermediate whorl of stamens to be 

 suppressed (in favour of which may be cited the condition of Samolus, 

 Lysimachia ciliata, and others, where five teeth, which may be abortive 

 stamens, alternate with the lobes of the corolla), or by the hypothesis 



