400 DICOTYLEDONES — THALAMIFLOR,!:. jj 



Ord. XIII. ELATINEJ5. Sepals 3—5. Petals 3— 5, ses- 

 sile. Stamens a^ many as or double tlie nuinhor of petals. Ovary 

 with from 3 — 5 cells and as many styles and capitate stigmas. 

 Capsule 3 — 5-celled and as many valved, alternate with the dis- 

 sepiments which usually adhere to a central axis. Seeds nume- 

 rous, with little albumen a straight embryo, and radicle turned 

 to the hilum. — Small annuals, inhabiting marshy places, with 

 rooting steins and opposite stipuled leaves. — Elatine, p. 157. 



Ord. XIV. CARYOPHYLLE^. Sepals 5 or 4, persistent, 

 (in the tribe Silenece) united into a tube. Petals as many, rarely 

 wanting. Stamens as many as or double the number of the 

 petals, inserted upon a fleshy disk or ring. Ovary 1, inserted (in 

 Silenece) on a distinct fleshy pedicel or disk. Styles 2 — 5. Cap- 

 sule 1 — 5-celled, 2 — 5-valved, with a central receptacle, which is 

 free in the 1- celled capsules, in the rest adhering to the disse- 

 piments. *S'eet?s generally numerous. Embryo generally curved 



round amealy albumen Herbs, inoreorless tumid at thejoints; with | 



opposite entire leaves, tvithout stipules except in the first division of ^ 

 Arenaria (a group which is now considered by some to form a 

 distinct Genus, and referred to PARONYCHiEiE.) — Tribe 1. Sile- | 



NE^. 1. DiANTHUS, jO. 168. 2. SaPONARIA,^. 168. 3. SiLENE, 



p. 168. 4. Lychnis, /J. 169. 5. AgrostemimA;;?. 169. — Tribe II. 

 Alsine^. 6. BuFFONiA,jw. 157. 7 Sagina,^. 58. 8. Moenchia, 

 jo. 58. 9. HOLOSTEU3I, p. 20. 10. Spergula,;>. 170. 11. Stel- 

 LARiA,;j. 168. 12. Arenaria, ;>. 160. 13. Cerastium,J9. 169. 

 14. Cherleria, JO. 169. 



Ord. XV. LINE^E. Sepals S — 5, imbricated in aestivation, 

 persistent. Petals 4 — 5, with a twisted aestivation. Stamens 3 — 

 5, united at the base into an hypogynous ring, with small teeth 

 (abortive stamens) between them. Ovary with about as many 

 cells as sepals, and as many styles. Stigmas capitate. Capsule 

 globose, crowned with tlie permanent base of the styles ; each 

 cell partially divided into 2 by a spurious dissepiment, and open- 

 ing with 2 valves at the apex. Seeds 1 in each cell, inverted. 

 Embryo straight. — Mostly Herbs, ivith entire leaves and loith- 

 out stipides and very fugacious petals ; the stems contain the 

 fibre which constitutes Flax, while the seeds yield a valuable 

 oil, and are used in medicine on account of their peculiarly mu- 

 cilaginous qualities Linum catharticum is a purgative ; L. usi- I 



tatissimum is the common Flax. — 1. Linum, p. 80. 2. Radiola, 

 j7. 58. 



Ord. XVI. MALVACEiE. Calyx 5-cleft, involucrated. 

 Corolla of 5 petals, regular. Stainens indefinite, monadelphous, 

 often united with the petals at their bases. Anthers reniform, 

 1 -celled. Ovary 1. Styles single or several combined. Stigmas 

 several. Fruit of many cells and many valves, or of many cap- 



