XIII. CRUCIFER^E. 159 



stamens 6, diadelphous ; filaments united into 2 equal sets by their 

 broad bases which sheath the ovary ; pod 2-valved, compressed, many- 

 seeded. Lvs. cauline. Pedicels racemose, bractless. 



1. C. GLAUCA. Ph. (Fumaria glauca. Curtis.') Glaucous Corydalis. 

 St. erect, branched ; Ivs. glaucous, bipinnate, segments cuneate-obovate, 3- 



lobed ; pods linear, as long as the pedicels. (g). A smooth, delicate plant, in 

 mountainous woods, Can. to N. Car., covered with a glaucous bloom. Root 

 fusiform. Stem 1 4f high. Leaflets nearly 1' long and f wide, cut into 3 

 obtuse lobes. Flowers terminal, on the subpaniculate branches. Calyx of 2, 

 ovate, acuminate sepals, between which, placed crosswise, is balanced the 

 cylindrical, ringent corolla, beautifully colored with alternating shades of red 

 and yellow. May Aug. 



2. C. AUREA. Willd. (Fumaria aurea. Muhl.) Golden Corydalis. 



. branching, diffuse; Ivs. glaucous, bipinnate, lobed, the lobes oblong- 

 linear, acute ; bracts linear-lanceolate, dentate, 3 times as long as the peduncle ; 

 roc. secund, opposite the leaves and terminal ; pod terete, torulose. In rocky 

 shades, Can. to Mo. S. to Ga. Stem 8 12' high, with finely divided leaves. 

 Flowers bright yellow, about half as long as the torulose pods which succeed 

 them. May Aug. 



4. FUMARIA. 



Lat. fumus, smoke ; from its disagreeable smell. 



Sepals 2, caducous ; petals 4, unequal, one of them spurred at the 

 base, filaments in 2 sets each with 3 anthers ; nut ovoid or globose, 

 1 -seeded and valveless. Lvs. cauline, finely dissected. 



F. OFFICINALIS. Fumitory. 



St. suberect, branched, and spreading ; Ivs. bipinnate ; Ifts. lanceolate, cut 

 into linear segments ; roc. loose ; sep. ovate-lanceolate, acute, about as long as 

 the globose, retuse nut. A small, handsome plant, in sandy fields and about 

 gardens, introduced from Europe. Stem 10 15' high, smooth as well as the 

 leaves. Leaflets cut into segments dilated upwards. Flowers small, rose- 

 colored, nodding, the pedicels becoming erect in fruit, and twice as long as the 

 bracts. July, Aug. 



ORDER XIII. CRUCLFER^. CRUCIFERS. 



Plants herbaceous, very rarely suffruticose, with alternate leaves. 



Fls. yellow or white, rarely purple, without bracts, generally in racemes. 



Cal. Sepals 4, deciduous. [a cross. 



Cor. of 4 regular petals, their claws inserted into the receptacle, and their limbs spreading in the formol 



Sta. 6, 2 of them upon opposite sides, shorter than the other 4. [sepiment, stiff, two. 



Ova. cpmposed of two united carpels, with two parietal placentas united by a membranous ialse dis- 



Fr. a silique or silicle usually 2-celled. 



Sds. attached in a single row to each side of the placentas : -albumen 0. 



Embryo, with the two cotyledons variously folded on the radicle. 



Genera 173, species 1600. This is a very natural order, larger than any of the preceding. The greater 

 part of the species are found in the temperate zones. About 100 are peculiar to this continent. 



Proper tics. The Cruciferae as a class are of much importance to man. They furnish several alimen- 

 tary articles which are very nutricious, as the turnip, cabbage, cauliflower; several others are used as 

 C9ndiments ; as mustard, radish, cochlearia, &c. They all possess a peculiar acrid, volatile principle, 

 dispersed through every part, often accompanied by an etherial oil abounding in sulphur. They are also 

 remarkable for containing more nitrogen than other vegetables, for which reason ammonia is generally 

 evolved in their putrefaction. In medicine they are eminently stimulant and antiscorbutic. ISone are 

 really poisonous, although very acrid. The root of Isatis tinctoria affords a blue coloring matter. 



14* 



