CH. XIII] 



THE DICOTYLEDONS 



553 



with their flowers rendered ornamental by large white 

 bracts, and the Pigeon Berry of the woods. 



SERIES C. THE SPECIALIZED DICOTYLEDONS. 

 (Metachlamydeae ; Sympetals3; Gamopetalae.) 



In these orders, the flowers, while retaining their showi- 

 ness, become remarkably specialized by the development of 

 floral tubes and inferior 



ovaries^ with reduction 

 in number in some 

 jwhorls. . Herein we find 

 a remarkable parallelism 

 with Monocotyledons, al- 

 though, in marked con- 

 trast with the latter, the 

 Dicotyledons show com- 

 paratively little irregu- 

 lariiv^ even in ttie 

 highest kinds. Here also, 

 while part of the features 

 stand obviously related 

 or 



to special methods of 

 dissemination, others 

 have apparently no re- 

 lation to Utility, but FIG. 398. Heracleum species, showing 

 Show rather an aspect ^formal compound umbel ; X |. (From 



of specialization for 



diversity's sake. They include eight principal orders. 



ORDER 25. ERIC ALES: THE HEATHS AND KIN. About 

 1800 species, mostly shrubs, prevailingly evergreen, with 

 sympetalous corolla bearing the stamens which are often 

 specialized in peculiar forms. They include the Heathers 

 and Heaths, with Azaleas and Rhododendrons, our May- 

 flower (Epigcea repens), and our Laurels (Kalmia}, the 



