440 MANUAL OF NATURAL HISTOEY. 



of Good Hope and in South America, also 

 in Australia. 



3. FAMILY. Knotworts (Paronychiacese). Herbs 



or under-shrubs; leaves opposite or alternate, 

 stipules, when present, scarious ; flowers 

 minute, symmetrical, with scarious bracts ; 

 sepals 3-5 ; petals minute or ; stamens 

 generally opposite sepals ; ovary usually 

 ] -celled ; styles 2-5 ; ovules amphitropal ; 

 fruit small, dry, 1-, rarely 3-celled, indehiscent 

 or opening by three valves. Principally 

 found in Southern Europe and Northern 

 Africa, also in Mexico and at the Cape of 

 Good Hope. (Illecebracece, Lindley.) 



4. FAMILY. Pinks (Dianthaeeae). Mostly herba- 



ceous ; stems tumid at the articulations ; 

 leaves opposite, exstipulate, often connate; 

 inflorescence usually cymose ; flowers bi- 

 sexual, symmetrical ; sepals 4-5, persistent ; 

 petals 4-5, unguiculate, or ; stamens equal 

 to, or double the number of, the petals ; 

 ovary of two to five carpels ; stigmas 2-5, 

 sessile j ovules amphitropal ; fruit capsular, 

 2-5-valved, 1- or 2-5-celled. Occupy moun- 

 tainous and waste regions in temperate and 

 cold countries. (Caryophyllece, Juss.) 



IY. OEDEE. GERANIALS (Geraniales). 



Flowers monodichlamydeous, symmetrical ; calyx 

 imbricated ; corolla twisted ; stamens definite ; 

 placentae axile ; embryo with little or no albumen. 



