* 

 276 ORDER 31. GERANIACE^E. 



2 L. perenne L. PERENNIAL FLAX. Glabrous, with virgate branches ; Ivs. linear, 

 acute, scattered ; fls. supra-axillary and terminal; sep. oval, margins membran- 

 ous, shorter than the globous capsule ; petals retuse, blue, 3 or 4 tunes the length 

 of the sepals. If Native "West of the Miss, (perhaps not within the limits of 

 this Flora)! Not uncommon in gardens. Also native of Europe and Asia. 



3 L. rfgidum Ph. St. angular; Ivs. erect, rigid, linear, acute; fls. racemed on 

 the corymbous branches; sep. 3-veined, ovate-lanceolate, acuminate and, with the 

 bracts glandularly fringe-serrate, longer than the globous capsule ; styles more or 

 less united at base. Conn. (Robbins) to Iowa (Cousens), southward and northward ; 

 not common. Sts. 10 to 16' high, erect as well as the branches. Lvs. 4 to 8" 

 long, scabrous on the margins. Fls. sulphur yellow, 8" diam. Jn., Jl. (L. 

 Booth' Planch.) The union of the styles appears variable in degree, in specimens 

 which coincide in all other respects. 



4 L. simplex. St. simple, with a small corymb with spreading branches at top ; 

 Ivs. rigid, erect, linear-subulate, alternate ; fls. few ; sep. lanceolate, acute, scabrous 

 on the margins, 3-veined, shorter than the globous-ovate capsules ; styles distinct. 

 La. (Hale). St. slender, 12 to 18' high. Lvs. 4 to 5" long. Capsules as largo 

 as Coriander. 



5 L. Virgin! amim L. St. strict, with rather erect, corymbous branches above ; 

 Ivs. linear-lanceolate, acute, erect; fls. showy (5" diam.)", all turned to the upper 

 side of the branches; sep. ovate-lanceolate, mucronate, about as long as the do- 

 pressed capsule; sty. distinct. Woods and hills, U. S. and Can. St. near 2f high. 

 terete, glabrous. Lvs. 6 to 8" by 1 to 2", with one distinct vein only. Sep. 

 1-veined. Jl. 



6 L. diffusum. St. angular, diffusely paniculate ; branches and veiny, lanceolate 

 Ivs., spreading; fls. alternate, very small (scarcely 2" broad); sep. ovate, abruptly 

 mucronate, as long as the depressed capsule ; sty. distinct. Wet prairies, Ind., 0. 

 Very different in aspect from No. 5, having the stem leaves twice larger (!' by 

 4"), the branch leaves minute, arid the flowers 3 times smaller. Jl. 



7 L. grandiflorum Desf. Fig. 262. CRIMSON-COLORED FLAX. Erect, smooth. 

 branched above ; leaves elliptic-lanceolate, acute at each end, sessile, the lower 

 and radical lance-obovate, crowded, petals broadly obovate, bright crimson. 

 (T) Gardens (from seeds lately distributed by the Government). Stem 8 10 

 high. Flowers 1' diam. f N. Africa. 



8 L. trigymim Sm. Lvs. elliptical, acute, mucronate, entire ; styles 3 ; caps. 

 3-celled. Green-house plant with large (!' diain.) yellow flowers. } E. Indies. 



ORDER XXXI. GERANIACEvE. GERANIA. 



Herbs or shmbs swollen and separable at the joints, with stipulate, palmate- 

 veined leaves and symmetrical, hypogynous, 5-merous flowers. Sepals imbricated 

 and petals convolute in estivation ; stamens mostly 10, and monadelphous, the alter- 

 nate ones often abortive ; ovary of 5 sepals, each 2-ovuled, in fruit 1-seeded, coher- 

 ing to an elongated torus (carpophore) from which they separate, curving upwards 

 on the persistent style. 



Genera 4, species 500. Geranium and Erodium inhabit chiefly the Northern temperate zones. 

 Pelargonium abounds at the Cape of Good Hope, and occurs in Australia ; ami in cultivation is 

 found everywhere. 



GENERA. 



Stamens 10, all perfect. Corolla regular ................................. GERAXIUM. 1 



5 perfect, 5 alternate imperfect. Cor. reg .................... EKODIUM. 2 



7 perfect. Corolla irregular ................................. PELARGONIUM. 3 



1. GERANIUM, L. CRANE'S BILL. (Gr. yt-pavo^, a crane; the 

 beaked fruit resembles a crane's bill.) Sepals and petals 5, regular, 

 stamens 10, all perfect, the 5 alternate ones longer, and each with a 

 nectariferous gland at its base ; fruit rostrate, at length separating into 

 5 long-styled, 1-seeded carpels; styles smooth inside, at length recurved 



