36 NATURAL HISTORY OF PLANTS. 



superposed desceuding witli extrorse superior micropyle, one some- 

 times more or less ascendent. Fruit capsular ; cells 5, generally 

 1 -spermous septifragally solute from columella of axis, descendant 

 with style usually from base to apex elastically revolute. Seeds 

 generally descendent ; albumen scanty or ; radicle of embryo 

 (sometimes coloured) incumbent on induplicate-plicate or convolute 

 cotyledons. — Herbs, sometimes suffrutescent or ctespitose-subacaulis 

 at base ; branches articulate-nodose ; leaves alternate or opposite, den- 

 tate or palmate or more rarely digitate lobed or dissected ; petioles 

 incrassate at base, 2 -stipulate ; flowers at summit of peduncle axillary 

 or lateral, solitary or more usually in cymes (rarely multifloral), 

 1-lateral sometimes umbelliferous. {All temperate and tvop. 

 mount, regions.) See p. 3. 



3. Erodium L'her.- — Flowers (of Gcramum) regular or scarcely 

 irregular ; stamens 5 alternipetalous antheviferous ; oppositipetaloiis 

 sterile antherless, sometimes squamiform. Germen and fi'uit of G^c- 

 ramw»^; cavida of carpels inwardly usually barbate or villous. — Herbs 

 or undcrshrubs ; leaves inflorescence and other characters of Geranium. 

 [North tern, regions of old tvorld., South Africa., Australia.) See p. 6. 



4. Monsonia L. — Flowers nearly of Geranium ; petals entu-e 

 [Holopetalum) or dentate (Odontopelalum.) Stamens 15, 5 alterni- 

 petalous larger, and 10 ojipositipetalous in pairs, in 5 series, the 

 alternipetalous more or less high connate, 5-adelphous and at 

 base generally 1-adelphous. Other characters of Geranium. — Herbs 

 or undershi-ubs, stems sometimes fleshy or succulent ; petioles 

 spinescent (Sarcocaulon) ', leaves alternate or opposite, crenate or 

 dentate (Ilolopetalum), sometimes lobate or multitid (Odontopefulmn) 

 stijmles 2, lateral ; inflorescence of Geranium. (South, nortli- 

 eastern Africa, trop. west. Asia.) See p. 6. 



5. Pelargonium L'HfiR. — Flowers irregular; sepals 5, imbricate; 

 the posterior adnate to pedicel in form of a spur. Petals 5, imbricate ; 

 3 anterior in bud different from posterior, more interior, sometimes 

 very small or all aborting ; anterior lateral interior, regular. Stamens 

 10; filaments eglaudular, connate at base, 5 of them alternipetalous 

 generally anthiferous, more rarely the anterior 1, 2 antherless ; oppo- 



