ROSE FAMILY. 141 



XXXVII. ROSACES, EOSE FAMILY. 



Trees, shrubs, or herbs with alternate stipulate leaves and 

 regular flowers, with usually indefinite unconnected stamens 

 inserted on the calyx, one, few, or many simple separate pistils 

 (except in the division to which the Pear belongs), and single, 

 few, or occasionally numerous seeds ; these filled with a 

 straight embryo. Calyx usually of 5 sepals, but sometimes 

 reinforced by a row of sepal-like bracts beneath. Petals as 

 many as the sepals, or sometimes wanting. Destitute of 

 noxious qualities (excepting the bark, leaves, and kernels of 

 some Cherries, the Almond, etc.), and furnishing the most 

 important fruits of temperate climates, as well as the queen of 

 flowers. We have three principal great divisions. 



I. ALMOND or PLUM SUBFAMILY ; consists of trees 

 or shrubs, with simple leaves, stipules free from the petiole 

 (often minute or early deciduous, so that there may appear to 

 be none), a calyx which is deciduous after flowering, and a 

 single pistil, its ovary superior and tipped with a slender style 

 (Lessons, p. 95, Fig. 271), containing a pair of ovules, and 

 becoming a simple drupe or stone-fruit. (Lessons, p. 120, 

 Fig. 375.) 



1. PRUNUS. Calyx with a bell-shaped or urn-shaped tube and 5 spreading lobes. Petals 



5, and stamens 3-5 times as many, or indefinitely numerous, inserted on the throat 

 of the calyx. Flowers white or rose-color. 



II. EOSE SUBFAMILY PROPER: consists of herbs or 

 shrubs, with stipules either free from or united with the base 

 of the petiole, calyx persisting below or around the fruit, 

 which is composed of sometimes one, but commonly several or 

 many distinct pistils. 



1. Calyx not a fleshy tube or cup, nor closed over the fruit. 



* Ovaries about 5 (2-12), becoming little pods, mostly several-(\-W-) seeded; calyx with 

 only 5 or rarely 4 lobes. 



2. SPIRJ5A. Shrubs or perennial herbs, with stipules sometimes minute or obsolete, 



sometimes conspicuous, and white or rose-purple, sometimes dioecious flowers. 

 Calyx open and short, mostly 5-cleft, not inclosing the pods. Petals equal, com- 

 monly broad. Stamens 10-50. Pods not inflated, 1-valved. Seeds linear. 



3. PH YSOCARPUS. Shrubs, differing from Spiraea by inflated 2-valved pods, and round- 



ish seeds. 



4. EXOCHORDA. Shrubs with large white flowers, 5 bony 2-valved carpels joined to a 



common axis, each with one large flat winged seed. 



