172 NATURAL HISTORY OF PLANTS. 



cate deciduous. Petals shortly unguiculate, imbricate. Stamens 6, 

 inflexed in aestivation ; filaments finally elongated ; anthers exserted, 

 2-locular. Germen long-stipitate ; cells 2, didimous 2-ovulate, style 

 slender, subulate. Capsule didymous, on a slender reflexed stipe ; 

 lobes tuberculate, at length separating from perforated septum, 

 1 -seeded. Seed conduplicate, arcuate-reniibrm ; embryo much 

 incurved; cotjdedons incumbent. — An annual glabrous herb; leaves 

 alternate 3-foliolate; stipules fimbriate; flowers in short terminal 

 and axillary racemes {New Mexico). See p. 148. 



II. CAPPARIDE^. 



3. Capparis T. — Flowers hermaphrodite, regular or irregular; 

 receptacle convex. Sepals 4, or very rarely 5, equal or unequal, 

 free or connate, sometimes unequally torn, bare within, or with a 

 basilar gland, or internal or lateral ligula ; valvate or imbricate in 

 aestivation. Petals alternate, 4, or more rarely oo, imbricate. Sta- 

 mens usually oo, sometimes inserted on a glandular receptacle, free; 

 anthers introrse 2-rimose. Germen long-stipitate ; cells l-oo ; septa 

 incomplete or complete, bearing co ovules ; style very short, or next 

 to none, soon dilated into a stigmatiferous lamina. Fruit a berry, 

 or more or less corticate, very variable in shape, globular ovoid or 

 much lengthened-siliquiform, sometimes constricted between the 

 seeds, indehiscent, or more rarely obscurely dehiscent. Seeds oo, 

 embedded, reniform ; testa coriaceous or oftener crustaceous ; embryo 

 exalbuminous ; cotyledons fleshy and convolute about the very long 

 radicle. — Trees or shrubs, sometimes climbing, unarmed spinose or 

 aculeate, glabrous tomentose or variably lepidote ; leaves alternate, 

 or more rarely opposite, very rarely 0, membranous or coriaceous, 

 deciduous or persistent ; stipules setaceous or spinescent ; flowers 

 axillary or supra-axillary, solitaiy or fasciculate, sometimes super- 

 posed, or in terminal racemes or coiwmbs, usually bracteate {All 

 Tropical, Subtropical, and Tempera te regions). See p. 149. 



4. Atamisquea Miers. — Flowers hermaphrodite (small) ; recep- 

 tacle unequally c}^athiform, produced beyond perianth, excentric and 

 concave in front, with 3 alternipetalous tongue-shaped glandules at 



