74 NATURAL HISTORY OF PLANTS. 



few globular stipitate, sometimes naked before maturity (Caulo- 

 phyllum) ; integument more or less fleshy outside, intruded within 

 at base. — Perennial herbs ; rhizome tuberous ; radical leaves pin- 

 natifid, or twice or thrice trisected; cauline leaves few or bract- 

 like; flowers on a common scape in a composite or cymiferous 

 branched raceme {South Europe, Central and North-east Asia, North 

 America). See p. 53. 



11. Epimedium T. — Flowers 2-merous or very rarely 3-merous 

 (Vancouveria) ; sepals petaloid, 2-6-seriate, imbricate ; outer ones 

 smaller, more or less coloured or bract-like. Petals 2-seriate, flat 

 or more frequently hooded or calcarate, nectariform (Aceranthus) at 

 base, imbricate. Stamens 4 (or very rarely 6), free ; anthers dehis- 

 cing by 2 upraised valves. Carpel 1 ; ovules co , in 2 series, parietal 

 ascending anatropous ; micropyle extrorse inferior ; style slender ; 

 apex concave, slightly dilated, stigmatose. Capsule a siliqua, 2- 

 valved ; dorsal valve deciduous smaller, exposing the larger seed- 

 bearing valve. Seeds oo , ascending, with a dorsal vesicular aril a 

 little above hilum ; embryo small, substraight or incurved. — Peren- 

 nial herbs ; rhizome creeping ; leaves alternate, 2-foliolate, or 

 more frequently once pinnate, twice or thrice trisected ; flowers in 

 simple or more rarely branched terminal racemes (Europe, North 

 Africa, Temperate Asia, North America). See p. 54. 



12. Nandina Thunb. — Leaves of perianth oo , inserted in threes 

 on somewhat lengthened receptacle, gradually changing from the 

 outer coriaceous to the inner petaloid. Stamens 6, 2-seriate, free ; 

 anthers basifixed subsessile introrse, 2-rimose. Carpel 1 ; ovules 

 2, inserted at base of parietal placenta, ascending. Berry inde- 

 hiscent. Seeds 1, 2, concave or intruded at base; embryo very 

 minute. — An erect shrub ; leaves alternate, twice or thrice pinnatifid ; 

 leaflets entire ; flowers in terminal or leaf-opposed much branched 

 cymiferous racemes (China, Japan). See p. 57- 



IV. PODOPHYLLE.E. 



13. Podophyllum L. — Sepals 3-6, 1, 2-seriate, subpetaloid imbri- 

 cate caducous. Petals 6-9, 2-seriate. Stamens equal or greater in 



