DICOTYLEDONES — CALYCIFLOR^. 403 



equal. Anthers 2-celIed. Ovary 1, 5-celled. Styles 5. Stig- 

 mas capitate or somewhat bifid. Capsules with 5 or 10 valves. 

 Seeds attached to the axis in a curious elastic arillus (or outer 

 integument) which, on bursting open, projects the seed to a 

 distance. Embryo in a cartilaginous albumen, with its radicle 

 towards the hilum. — Mostly Herbs, with compound acid leaves; 

 some of them highly sensitive — Oxalis Acetosella abounds in ox- 

 alic acid. O. crenata of Peru affords a salad in its leaves, and 

 its tubers are eaten as potatoes, but they are not worthy a place 

 in an European kitchen-gar<len. — Oxalis, p. 1G9. 



(Zygophylle^. Gum Guaiacum is the product of Guaiacum offi- 

 cinale.^ 



(RuTACE^. Ruta, the Rue, possesses a powerful bitter principle, 

 and an aromatic essential oil lodged in copious pellucid glands on the 

 stem and leaves.) 



(SiMARUBE.E. South American tropical Trees or Shrubs, with in- 

 tensely bitter bark, milky juice and pinnated leaves, as Siinaruba and 

 Quassia.') 



(D10SME.E. Bucku leaves are those ot Diosma crenulata, L.) 



Subclass II. Calyciflor.^. 

 Corolla and stamens perigy nous, or inserted upon the Calyx} Ova- 

 ry either free or adnate with the tube of the calyx. 



A. Polypetalous. 



Ord. XXIII. CELASTRINEyE. Sepals 4—5, united by 

 a fleshy disk, imbricated in aestivation. Petals 4 — 5, alternate 

 with the sepals arising from the disk. Stamens 4 — 5, alternate 

 with the petals. Ovary more or less united with the disk, 3 — 4- 

 celled. Fruit a capsule with 3 — 4 cells, and 3 — 4 septifer- 

 ous valves, era dry drupe with 1 or 2 ceils which are 1- or many- 

 seeded. Seeds erect, often arillate. Albumen fleshy, with a 

 straight embryo. Radicle inferior. — Shrubs, tviih simple, mostly 

 opposite leaves and axillary cymes. — 1. Staphylea, p. 85. 2. 

 EUONYMUS, p. 77. 



Ord. XXIV. RHAMNE.fi:. Calyx 4— 5-cleft, estivation 

 valvate. Petals 4 — 5, alternate with the calycine lobes, cucul- 

 late, sometimes wanting. Stamens 4 — 5, opposite the petals. 

 Disk fleshy. Ovary wholly, or in part, superior, 2 — 4-celled, 

 2 — 4-seeded, Fruit fleshy and indehiscent, or dry and dehiscent. 

 Seeds erect. Albumen fleshy. Embryo straight. Radicle in- 

 ferior. — Shrubs or small Trees, ivith simple usually alternate 



leaves, minute stipules, and minute greenish flowers Fruit of 



some purgative, as our Rhamnus catharticus ; in others the 

 fruit yields a dye, as R. infectorius, &c. Zizyphus Lotus is one 



' Sometimes, as in Leguminosce, Tamariscinca, Portulacea;, Paronychiea, Cras- 

 stdacece, and some SaxifragecE, so near to the base of the ovary as to appear hy- 

 pogynous. 



