GENERAL KEY TO THE I'Ol.VI'KTALOrS OllDKKS. xi 



^- H— -»- H— Carpels 2 to 7 ; cells of the ovary as many aii<l with placenta' at 

 the inner angles of the cells (i.e. axial ; false dissepirnonts never j)resent) or 

 in the HypericacecB the ovary sometimes l-celled with parietal placentaj. 



++ Stamens free, definite, either as many or twice as many as the petals : ovary 

 2-5-celled, with as many introrsely stigmatose styles or sessile stigmas : 

 stipules present. 



22. ELATINACE^E. Flowers regular, small, axillary, perfect. Sepals 2 to 5. Petals 

 as many. Stamens hypogynous. Disk none. Ovules several to many in each 

 cell, borne at the inner angle. Capsules septicidal. Small often aquatic or riparian 

 herbs (rarely undershrubs) with opposite or verticillate dotless leaves. 



++ ++ Stamens a: (very rarely subdefinite but not of the same number as the 

 petals), free or more commonly connate or gathered into 3 or 5 phalanges ; 

 anthers 2-celled, versatile : ovary 1-5-celled ; stigmas capitate : stipules 

 none. 



23. IIYPERTCACE.E. Flowers regular, perfect, cymose or cymose-paniculate (very 

 rarely racemose) ; floral envelopes 4-5-merous. Stamens commonly in 3 pr 5 

 bundles. Ovary l-celled with parietal placentiBor completely 3-7-celled with axile 

 placentae. Fruit (in ours) capsular and septicidal ; seeds without albumen. Herbs 

 or shrubs with thin opposite or verticillate pellucid-punctate mostly sessile entire 

 or serrulate leaves. 



24. TERNSTRCE^NIIACEiE. Flowers regular or nearly so. Sepals mostly 5, some- 

 times more or less unequal, the inner being larger. Petals as many as the sepals, 

 free or somewhat connate at the base. Stamens distinct or partially united into 

 bundles, hypogynous or adnate to the bases of the petals. Disk none. Ovary (in 

 N. American genera) 3-6-celled. Trees or slirubs, ours with simple alternate im- 

 punctate leaves. 



4H- ++ •»-*• Stamens definite, as many as the persistent sepals and alternate with 

 them ; filaments connate into a tube ; anthers 2-celled : ovary (4-)o-celled ; 

 style single ; stigma undivided : petals none : stipules small, caducous. 



25. CHEIRAXTHODKNDRE.E. Flowers regular, perfect, apetalous, normally fv 

 merous. Sepals colored, persisting. Bractlets 3, deciduous. Fruit a loculicidal 

 5-valved capsule. Trees or siirubs with rusty stellate pubescence and alternate 

 palmately lobed leaves. 



^_ H_ H_ ^_ ^_ Carpels (l-)3-y:, united; ovary with as many cells ; pla- 

 centae at inner angle of each cell : sepals valvate : stamens (except in Ster- 



cuUacece) mostly oc 



++ Anthers l-celled. 



26. MALVACEAE. Flowers regular, usually perfect ; floral enveloix\s both present 

 and fj-merous. Persistent calyx often subtended by an involucel. Petals slightly 

 connate at the very base and there adnate to the stamineal tube. Stamens x; 

 filaments connate. Carpels 3-oc (rarely in foreign genera 1 or 2) : cells of the 

 ovary as numerous, 1-oc-ovuled ; style simple at the base and (wilii few excejv 

 tions) divided above into more or less elongated filiform or clavellate branches. 

 Leaves alternate, stipulate, commonly palmately nerved. Pubescence often 

 stellate. 



