308 XLVII. GERANIACE^. 



phyllous or partite, sestivation imbricate ; sepals equal or unequal, with the posterior 

 then prolonged into a spur longitudinally adnate to the peduncle (Pelargonium). 

 PETALS inserted on the receptacle, equal in number with the sepals, or fewer by sup- 

 pression, and sub-perigynous (Pelargonium), clawed, equal or unequal (Pelargonium), 

 contorted in aestivation, caducous. STAMENS inserted with the petals, and usually 

 twice as many, 2-seriate ; the inner fertile, the outer shorter, and opposite to the 

 petals, all fertile (Geranium), or sometimes all (Erodium) or some (Pelargonium) 

 antherless ; rarely triple the number of the petals, and disposed in 5 triandrous 

 bundles, opposite to the petals (Monsonia, Sarcocaulon) ; f laments membranous, flat- 

 tened, and more or less monadelphous below, tips subulate, the lower with external 

 basal glands that alternate with the petals, rarely eglandular (Pelargonium) ; anthers 

 iiitrorse, oblong, dorsifixed, versatile, dehiscence longitudinal. PISTIL of 5 

 carpels, cohering into a 5-lobed 5-celled ovary, prolonged above into a beak ter- 

 minated by the styles ; styles continuous with the ovaries, connate below, free 

 above, stigmatiferous along their inner edge ; ovules geminate on the ventral suture 

 of each cell, more or less superimposed, semi-anatropous. FRUIT a capsule, opening 

 elastically from below upwards, by septifragal dehiscence, into five 1- seeded cocci 

 with spirally twisted beaks, and detaching themselves from the placentiferous 

 column. SEED 3-gonous ; testa crustaceous ; hilum ventral, a little below the base. 

 EMBRYO exalbuminous, curved ; cotyledons foliaceous, flexuous ; radicle conical, in- 

 cumbent on the inner cotyledon, near the hilum, and, together with the tips of the 

 cotyledons, pointing towards the base of the fruit. 



PRINCIPAL GENERA. 

 *Moi)8onia. *Gernniuui, *Erodiura. ^Pelargonium. 



[Disposition of the Geraniacea; proposed in the ' Genera Plantarum ' : 



TRIBE I. GERANIE^E. Flowers regular or nearly so. Sepals imbricate. Petals alternating 

 with glands. Antheriferous stamens as many as the petals, or twice or thrice as many. 

 Bieber$teim,ia, Monsonia, Sarcocaulon, Geranium, Erodium. 



TRIBE II. PELARGONIE.S:. Flowers irregular. Posticous sepal spurred. Petals perigynous, 

 two upper external. Glands 0. Stamens declinate. Pelargonium, Tropceolnm. 



TRIBE III. LIMNANTHEJE (see order LIMNANTHE^;, p. 313). Flowers regular. Sepals 

 valvate. Petals alternating with glands. Capsule indehiscent, not beaked. Ovary 1 ; ovule 

 with an inferior micropyle. Flccrkia, Limnanthes. 



TRIBE IV. VIVIAUIE.S. Flowers regular. Calyx with valvate lobes. Petals alternating 

 with glands. Stamens twice as many as the petals. Capsule loculicidal ; ovules geminate. 

 Viviania. 



TRIBE V. WENDTIEJ;. Flowers regular. Sepals imbricate. Glands 0. Stigmas ligulate. 

 Ovules 2-oo . Leaves small, often opposite, entire or 2-5-lobed. Rhynchotheca, Wendtia, 

 Ledocarpon. 



TRIBE VI. OXALIDEJ: (see order OXALIDE.E, p. 296). Flowers regular. Sepals imbricate. 

 Glands 0. Stigmas capitate. Ovules 2-x . Leaves compound. 



TRIBE VII. BALSAMINEJE (see order BALSAMIXEJ:, p. 309). Flowers irregular. Posticous 



