CAPER FAMILY. Capparldaceae. 



There are many kinds of Cleome; ours are branching 

 herbs, with palmately-divided leaves; the flowers with four 

 sepals, four petals, and six stamens. The ovary has a 

 stalk with a gland at its base and becomes a long pod, with 

 a long stalk and many seeds. 



Bee- lant * n Arizona tn ^ s exceedingly handsome 



Cledme serruldta pl ant often covers the dry beds of rivers 

 Pinkish-mac, with acres of beautiful color. The 

 white smooth, branching stem is sometimes as 



Southwest, etc. mUch aS e ^ ht feet hi 8 h The U PP er 

 leaves are long and narrow and the lower 



are larger and usually have three leaflets, but all are bluish- 

 green and peculiarly soft and smooth to the touch. The 

 buds are purple and the delicate flowers, with threadlike 

 flower-stalks, grow in a handsome, feathery cluster, some- 

 times a foot long, with numerous bracts. They have four, 

 pinkish-lilac or white petals and six exceedingly long, 

 threadlike stamens with minute, curling, green anthers. 

 The lilac pistil is also very long and before the flower drops 

 off begins to develop into a small, flat, green pod. These 

 gradually lengthen, until the stem is ornamented with 

 many hooklike pods, with slender stalks, hanging all along 

 it. Many of the flowers do not produce fruit. The 

 foliage when it is crushed gives off a rank, unpleasant smell, 

 which is responsible for the local name of Skunk- weed. 

 This is widely distributed and is found in the central and 

 northern part of the United States, as well as in the South- 

 west. 



188 



