SUN-DEW TRIBE. ORDER CARYOPHYLLEJE. 377 



Dioncea. (. 246) which is an American species of this order ; 

 and it is common, in a greater or less degree, to the other known 

 species of it. The organs of fructification are nearly allied to 

 those of the Violacese. The flower is regular, however ; the 

 stamens have the usual form, and are sometimes double or triple 

 the number of the petals ; and the ovary bears from three to five 

 styles. The order is also peculiar as to the manner in which its 

 leaves and flowers are folded together before their expansion. 

 Instead of being simply compressed into buds, they are coiled in 

 a spiral ; so that, when unfolding, the leaf-stalks and flower- 

 stalks somewhat resemble a shepherd's crook. This form of 

 development is the same as may be readily observed in the 

 unfolding leaves of the young Fern. (See the highest leaves in 

 Fig. 3, . 23). 



541. Passing over several Orders which contain but few 

 species, and these of little general interest, we stop for a short 

 time at one which contains many well-known British plants, 

 the CARYOPHYLLE^E, or ChicJcweed tribe. These are natives 

 principally of the temperate and frigid parts of the world, where 

 they inhabit mountains, hedges, and waste places. Those which 

 are found within the tropics are usually natives of elevated or 

 mountainous tracts, almost always reaching the limits of eternal 

 snow, where many of them exclusively vegetate. The greater 

 part of them are regarded as mere weeds ; but some of them are 

 greatly improved by cultivation, and become handsome garden 

 plants, whioh are greatly valued. Such are the Clove-Pinks, 

 Carnations, and Picotees, which are all varieties of one species, 

 the Dianthus Caryophyllus, that naturally grows about old walls, 

 especially on the ruins of ancient castles. The structure of the 

 flower may be best understood from some of the larger species, 

 such as the common Pink ; taking care, however, not to choose 

 a double one. It is interesting to remark that whilst in this 

 plant, the leaves being long and narrow, with only a single 

 vein running from one end to the other do not afford any cha- 

 racters by which it might be known as an Exogen, the petals 

 (which are but differently- developed leaves) have a beautiful 

 system of veins, which are evidently reticulated. The stems are 



